Syria suffers from a suffocating electricity crisis that was not the result of war. Rather, it is a continuation of a crisis that extends for decades during which it did not reach self -sufficiency, and the country relied on its local production and import from neighboring countries.
In 2010, Syria produced nearly 6,500 megawatts of electricity, while the need to consume is estimated at 8,600 megawatts, meaning that the country was in a state of unable to secure approximately 2100 megawatts, and the government previously covered part of the disability by importing.
Syria depends on the traditional thermal power plants to secure 94% of the total electricity produced, and the stations feed on petroleum products (fuel by more than 60% and the rest on natural gas).
The main factors that cause the electricity crisis
- The collapse of infrastructureBy 2013, more than 30 energy stations were destroyed in Syria, and at least 40% of the country’s high voltage lines are exposed to damage, in addition to the need for thermal stations to maintain continuous maintenance and spare parts – which is difficult to achieve in light of international sanctions – and the need for unavailable financing.
- Lack of fuel needed to operate the stationsIn recent periods, Syria has suffered from the inability to refine oil and extract its derivatives (fuel) that occupy thermal stations. The imports of fuel fell from 15 thousand tons to 1,200 tons, and gas production decreased from 20 million cubic meters to 8 million meters per day, which prevented the coverage of the internal demand.
- PenaltiesSyria is exposed to European and American sanctions that prevented the supply of equipment and technology to maintain power stations, and restrictions on foreign investment in the electricity sector hinder financing and development.
The effects of the continuation of the electricity crisis
- The exacerbation of the economic crisis, due to electrical legalization, high costs of electricity production, and this leads to a decline in industrial and agricultural production, and obstructing the operation of economic installations, and this reduces job opportunities.
- High costs of living, as a result of the increase in fuel prices used in private generators, and the high dependence on amperes, and this weighs the citizen financially.
- The core services sector has deteriorated, as many health and service institutions in the country suffer from continuing power outages while providing services.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xghtnww-jfc
Syrian state options to solve the electricity crisis
- Rehabilitation of infrastructure
The expert in the strategic management, Dr. Abdul Rahman Al -Jamous, to Al -Jazeera Net, stresses the importance of the state’s direction to rebuild what can be qualified from the infrastructure of the electricity sector, and the failure to wait for the start of the reconstruction process, which may be delayed for international political reasons and complications.
In this context, the suspension of European sanctions on Syria may help alleviate the electricity crisis, as it allows the Syrian state to benefit from the suspension of European sanctions to conclude contracts to develop electricity production by importing power plants from European countries.
Dr. Jamous pointed out the danger of privatizing the new Syrian government for the electricity sector for several reasons, the most beautiful in the following:
- Electricity is related to people’s lives directly and its impact on the wheel of the economy.
- The absence of legal and transparent ground to regulate the privatization process.
- The lack of a new social contract determines the state’s direction towards this sector.
- The collapsed living situation and the almost complete device of the middle class, and this makes the electricity privatization a burden on citizens.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7nzt8fn5l4
- Securing electricity production resources
One of the main reasons for the electricity crisis in Syria is the lack of the necessary amount of gas to provide thermal stations, and in this context the State of Qatar began providing supplies of natural gas to Syria through Jordan, in a move aimed at addressing the severe shortage of electricity production and improving the performance of infrastructure.
The Qatar News Agency reported that this initiative comes within the framework of signing an agreement between the Qatar Development Fund and the Jordanian Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, in cooperation with the United Nations Development Program, which will supervise the executive aspects of the project.
The Qatar Development Fund said a week ago that the Qatari supplies will allow the generation of up to 400 megawatts of electricity per day in the first stage, provided that the production capacity will gradually rise at the Deir Ali station in Syria.
The fund added that electricity will be distributed to several Syrian regions, including the capital, Damascus, its countryside, As -Suwayda, Daraa, Quneitra, Homs, Hama, Tartous, Lattakia, Aleppo and Deir Al -Zour, and this will contribute to improving basic services and enhancing the stability of affected societies.
According to a report of the Jusour Center for Studies Specialized in the Syrian Affairs, the production capacity of the Deir Station is approximately 1500 megawatts, and there is an incomplete expansion project in the station that can reach 2100 megawatts, which means covering a large part of Syria’s electricity needs at the very least when it works at its full capacity.
In this context, Qatar’s provision of natural gas may lead to the transformation of thermal stations towards the use of gas, which is cheaper, and a friend of the environment, compared to the use of fuel.
The bridge center report indicated that the possibility of Doha will increase the amount of gas provided for Syria in a second stage in the future, so that the quantity becomes twice the current amount, and this means that the electricity hours will increase, which may reach twice the current operating hours.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Myxwiutgti
- Solar energy
In a report published on Al -Jazeera Net, a set of solutions were offered to pass the country’s energy crisis, and one of the most effective solutions was to expand solar energy to secure electricity.
It is possible for the ministries of electricity and energy to contract with specialized international companies to build systems and solar energy farms to produce electricity. These projects may succeed in Syria in a large percentage, to provide the sun for long times during the year.
With regard to project financing, it is possible to contract with specialized companies that take over construction and sale operations and get the project profits for a period of time agreed upon by the two parties.
Dependence on solar energy achieves two goals:
the firstProviding the energy needed to produce electricity.
the secondAchieving a diversity in energy production sources instead of relying heavily on thermal stations that consume gas and diesel, and this reduces pressure from importing oil.
Raise the capacity to import electricity
Dr. Abdel -Rahman Al -Jamous indicates that the Syrian state has the option to import electricity from neighboring countries, and benefit from the Arab network linking, especially with the Gulf states that have a surplus of energy, and the continuation of the current traction and its increase through the Turkish line, and from Jordan as well.
Encouraging private investments
The private sector may be an important contributor to the electricity production market in Syria, and in this context, the economic researcher at the Imran Center for Studies, Manaf Qanan, notes that private companies in the city of Idlib before the fall of the ousted regime were producing electricity through solar energy and selling it to the rescue government at that time, which reduced a large percentage of the government’s import of electricity from Türkiye, creating job opportunities, and providing a good contribution to the city’s economy.
In conclusion, the electricity sector in Syria needs a great funding estimated by the Syrian Minister of Electricity at $ 40 billion, to rehabilitate and maintain the infrastructure to produce electricity from transformers and lines of high tension and thermal stations.
The lack of these financing capabilities – in addition to some obstacles and challenges – would push the state to find ambulance solutions to expand the use of solar energy, sign electricity import agreements from neighboring countries, and work to provide grants from allied countries that help raise the percentage of electricity production, such as the State of Qatar’s natural gas grant that it provided to Syria.
