The Syrian Energy Minister, Mohamed Al -Bashir, announced a set of expected steps to improve the energy sector in Syria, including signing an agreement to import electricity from Türkiye and another to extend a natural gas line during the coming period.
Al -Bashir explained, during his participation in the Istanbul Natural Resources Summit, that the Syrian government is about to sign an agreement to rent electricity from Türkiye through a line with a 400 -volt effort that extends from Türkiye to Syria.
He added: “We are also working to create a natural gas line between Kilis and Aleppo, through which 6 million cubic meters of gas can be supplied per day to the power plants in Syria, which will contribute to improving the energy situation in the country.”
He pointed out that there is another power line between the two countries currently prepared for him, which will link Rihaniya (in the Turkish state of Hatay) and the Harem region (in Idlib countryside).
He explained that the conversion center is on the Turkish side, and that after the completion of the tender, about 80 megawatts of electricity will be transferred to northern Syria through this center.
Al -Bashir also revealed that there are other plans to cooperate in the field of minerals such as phosphate and lehium, calling on Turkish companies to invest in the Syrian energy sector.
He pointed out that the Turkish Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Alp Arslan Bayrakdar, raised the issue of exploration of natural gas in regional waters, indicating that a general framework agreement for cooperation between Syria and Turkey in the energy field will be signed.
Speaking to Al -Jazeera Net, Al -Bashir stressed that the agreement aims to increase the number of hours of electrical feeding in the Syrian governorates, noting that the gas line between the Turkish Kilis and the city of Aleppo will provide 6 million cubic meters of gas per day for the generation stations, which contributes to improving the energy situation and increasing the number of electricity hours in various regions.
Infrastructure
The minister considered that the infrastructure of electricity networks in Syria is old and did not receive the necessary attention in previous periods, explaining that the shelf life of these stations is about 25 years.
He added that the ongoing maintenance work and the technical cadres on which they are still maintaining a good performance of the stations, although some need periodic maintenance, while others have gone out of service.
He pointed to the deteriorating situation of the thermal station in Aleppo, which needs comprehensive maintenance, explaining that the Ministry of Energy is working on two tracks:
- The first is to contract the agreements.
- The second is in continuous maintenance and reform of faults, whether in generation stations or towers and sub -transformers in various regions.
The electrical network in Syria is witnessing a severe crisis as a result of the deterioration of its infrastructure, and despite raising the number of operating hours to 8 hours in some areas, the lack of fuel and international sanctions contributed to imposing a strict legalization of the electric current.
According to economic sources, the gap between the productive capacity and demand is about 5.2 gigawatts, as the country needs about 6500 megawatts to secure electricity around the clock, while current production does not exceed 1500 megawatts.
The generation stations and transportation lines were severely damaged during the war years, and the cost of rehabilitation of the network is estimated at $ 40 billion.
Increase job opportunities
The engineer in the Syrian Red Crescent, Hussein Watti, is responsible for repairing electricity networks in Aleppo, that providing electricity permanently for industrial areas will contribute to increasing job opportunities, as it will allow factories to operate their production lines for longer periods without relying on private generators, which reduces the high costs resulting from the use of diesel and amplions.
He added in his interview with Al -Jazeera Net that the electrical infrastructure suffers from great erosion, and it needs maintenance of about 3 months, including the linking lines between the thermal station and the Euphrates Dam, which currently provides only pumping stations in Al -Khartah and Baberi, responsible for irrigating the eastern countryside lands that were recently affected by the water interruption, which caused the loss of a full agricultural season.
He pointed out that there is an urgent need to repair operational and controlling cells to ensure the continuity of pumping and link electrical networks between Türkiye and Syria effectively, despite some interventions from international organizations to maintain irrigation and equipment channels.
It is noteworthy that in March 2025, Qatar started providing Syria with natural gas through Jordan, which contributed to raising the hours of electrical feeding to 4 hours per day in some areas.
Positive impact
For his part, Dr. Khaled Trkkawi, an economic researcher at the Jusour Studies Center, said in an interview with Al -Jazeera Net that the supply of Turkish gas to northern Syria will have a clear positive impact, especially in the energy and basic services sector.
He explained that “the increase in the electricity supply means an increase in geographical coverage, whether at the level of villages, neighborhoods or cities. 80 megawatts are a good amount, and it may suffice to cover half a city or a quarter of a large city,” adding that electricity is considered today the nerve of life, which is necessary to operate the factories and pumping water, which will improve the performance of basic services for citizens.
He pointed out that the provision of electricity will be positively reflected on agriculture, as the water is the most important factor, and its pumping depends on electricity. The industry will also benefit greatly, due to its direct dependence on energy to operate machines.
Regarding the gas line that might connect Turkey to northern Syria, Trkawi considered that the upcoming project “may pass through the Kilis -Aleppo line, which was previously part of the Arab Gas Line project,” stressing that the implementation will be possible if this line is reactivated or an alternative line was established.
He also stressed that this step will strengthen the economic relationship between the two sides, as there is currently a trade exchange between Syria and Turkey estimated at about $ 1.2 billion annually, thanks to the opening of the northern Syrian regions.
And it expected that the volume of exchange will rise to between 2 and 3 billion dollars annually in the event of an improvement in the infrastructure and the electricity sector, noting that the relationship can develop to a level of “economic tangle” instead of just superficial cooperation.
