Jana al-Issa | Ali Darwish | Hassan Ibrahim

Syrians, including farmers, industrialists, traders, employees, and craftsmen, are eagerly anticipating improvements in electricity supply after years of rationing that have forced some to abandon their projects within the country. Millions have been compelled to cease their daily work across various sectors from different demographics.

The electricity issue is the main carrier of reconstruction projects in Syria, and it remains unclear whether the current interim government will be able to fulfill the promises it has made in this regard.

The government is focusing on rehabilitating the electricity sector, which intersects with both Arab and international interests, whether in assistance, funding, or reserving a place for investment in this field, notably from Turkey, Jordan, Qatar, and Germany. However, attempts to take off are hindered by more significant factors, notably American and Western sanctions.

Initial estimates from government sources indicate a need for around $40 billion to repair this sector and a construction plan that will take years.

In this report, Enab Baladi highlights the reality of electricity in various Syrian cities, the measures taken by the interim Damascus government in this context, discusses its plans and implementation mechanisms, the obstacles it faces, the extent of success of some countries’ commitments to improve the sector, and potential short- and long-term solutions.

Starting with the promises

Most areas in Syria still suffer from prolonged electricity outages and rely on costly alternatives that do not align with the living reality in the country.

After the promised period to sense improvements in the electricity reality, conditions remained largely unchanged at the general level, with partial measures related to equitable distribution of the limited supply among cities, provinces, and rural areas.

On January 14, the Minister of Electricity, Omar Shakrouq, stated that providing electricity for a period of 6 to 8 hours daily would require a period of up to two months, a timeframe that has ended without any significant improvement, indicating that actual steps to rehabilitate the sector have not yet begun.

According to Shakrouq, returning electricity generation levels to where they were before 2010 will take three years, and there is a need for 6,500 megawatts to provide electricity around the clock.

He clarified that over the next two years, the electricity sector will be undergoing construction and will require $40 billion to return to its status before 2010.

There is also a need for $3 billion for operational materials, maintenance, and rehabilitation to ensure the current network continues to function, in addition to $10 billion needed as part of the reconstruction plan, all while facing difficulties in securing funding.

The minister promised that the Syrian government will open the door for private investments in the electricity and energy sector.

Uneven improvement and fair rationing

After the fall of the ousted regime on December 8, 2024, the electricity supply improved in some Syrian cities, while remaining the same in others, showing varying improvements even within the same city. The rationing program is irregular and is linked to a shortage of generation, increased domestic loads, and overlap with lines feeding vital facilities, as well as network deterioration and encroachments.

In the capital, Damascus, there has been no increase in the hours of electricity supply; rather, a form of fair distribution has begun in some neighborhoods, leading to improved supply in certain areas while it has declined in others, amidst demands for equitable rationing and improved electrical supply.

Enab Baladi’s correspondent in Damascus reported that before the fall of the regime, electricity reached the Mezzeh neighborhood for 8 hours a day; however, it has dropped to 3 to 4 hours, while it has increased in neighborhoods that previously received only 2 hours.

He added that areas previously fed by the “golden line,” where electricity was uninterrupted, such as Qudsaya and the Republican Guard residences, as well as areas where senior officials and influential figures from the previous regime resided, have been subjected to rationing, allowing for electricity to be supplied to other neighborhoods.

Khaled Abu Di, the director-general of the Electricity Transmission and Distribution Authority, said to Enab Baladi that the noticeable decline in electricity supply in Damascus is due to several factors, the most important of which are the lack of regular periodic maintenance for the electrical networks by the previous regime, along with a shortage of basic materials needed for maintenance, leading to the aging infrastructure’s inability to meet increasing demand.

Additionally, some transformation centers have suffered damage and theft by unscrupulous individuals, causing disruptions in electricity supply outside of rationing hours, further increasing outage durations.

Abu Di noted that the high demand for electricity during periods of supply and overloaded transformation centers lead to failures, affecting the stability of electricity supply.

He added that there are economic and financial challenges that hinder the improvement of infrastructure and the sustainable provision of electricity.

Unavailable alternatives for all

In Latakia province, the electricity situation has improved since the beginning of March, with electricity now being supplied for four hours daily in an irregular manner, up from only two hours.

In some neighborhoods, subscriptions to private generator services provide electricity from 9 to 10 hours daily, interspersed with outages, at a cost of 100,000 Syrian pounds weekly per ampere.

In rural Damascus, Muhammad Ghanoum, residing in Misraba, stated that electricity is available for just two to three hours daily without any improvement, with some neighborhoods experiencing blackouts for two to three days because the cables are deteriorated.

According to Ghanoum, the current is weak, and even if electricity reaches, it only helps to power the lighting, and the regulators are unable to stabilize the current. He added that the wiring is random, and the sight of electric cables sparking and debris scattering has become a common scene.

He indicated that subscribers to private power generators are few and limited to the affluent, who bypassed the main electricity networks entirely due to the chaotic wiring, reflecting the disorder of the installations and weakness of the network.

In Daraa province, electricity still operates under the same rationing imposed by the previous Syrian regime, which involves four hours of cutbacks for every two hours of operation in the city of Daraa and five hours cut for an hour and a half of operation in the countryside.

According to residents of Daraa city, electricity distribution has seen improvements in current strength, as the previous regime used to prioritize feeding certain neighborhoods, especially those inhabited by regime officers and security headquarters, while the countryside remained under constant rationing and frequent outages during operational periods.

In Daraa province, there are no generators available for ampere sales; instead, alternatives are centered around solar energy or batteries. Those who are financially well-off use lithium batteries, which are high-capacity batteries priced between $1,500 and $3,000, and they must be powered by solar panels.

Some rely on solar energy to charge lower-quality batteries, while others use only storage batteries and take advantage of electricity supply periods to recharge them.

In Deir Ezzor city, the electrical reality is “very poor,” according to residents, with electricity available for only 20 to 30 minutes every six hours, and the alternatives are financially burdensome, with solar panel installation costs reaching around $500 (5 million Syrian pounds), and generators for ampere sales are rare.

The situation is different in northern Syria

For years, companies have been active in supplying northern Syria with electricity by drawing from Turkey. In the countryside of Aleppo, two companies, AK Energy and STE Energy, operate after signing contracts with local councils. There are always criticisms and demands regarding their violations of the signed contracts, and the increased prices for the residents.

In the city of Idlib and the western countryside of Aleppo, the Green Energy company has been active, managed by the current Minister of Electricity, Omar Shakrouq. It has brought electricity to homes and shops, charging 0.132 cents per household kilowatt and 0.152 cents for commercial use.

Green Energy supplies the city of Idlib and its countryside with electricity continuously for 24 hours, although there are sometimes outages for various reasons, either due to rationing (not daily) that does not exceed two hours, or because of a malfunction. The company publishes via its platforms information about outages and the expected time for the return of electricity.

In addition to these companies, a large segment of the population still relies on solar energy, which has become widespread on rooftops, near camps, and in agricultural lands.

After the fall of the regime, northern Syria became a gateway for exporting solar panels to other provinces, and the demand for them has increased in bulk and retail, according to traders and company owners interviewed by Enab Baladi.

Muayad Hindawi, owner of a wholesale solar panel import and sales store in northern Idlib, told Enab Baladi that the price per panel ranges from $65 to $83, adding that sales have increased by 20% since the fall of the regime. Another seller noted that sales have risen from 40 to 60%.

Industry is the main loser

In February, the economic researcher at the Orman Center for Strategic Studies, Manaf Quman, conducted a tour of many industrial centers in Syria, explaining to Enab Baladi that the price of electricity per kilowatt-hour for industrialists in Aleppo is 27 cents, which is higher than neighboring countries, such as Egypt where it sells at 5 cents per kilowatt, Turkey at 8 cents, and the areas of northern Aleppo and Idlib (formerly opposition areas) at 12 cents.

The Sheikh Najjar industrial city, which contains about 960 active facilities, suffers from a severe shortage of electrical supply, needing 120 megawatts daily, while the current provision does not exceed 80 megawatts.

Quman added to Enab Baladi that among what the transitional government can work on in the coming period to address the problems faced by industrialists is to restructure electricity tariffs or temporarily fix electricity prices in dollars until the exchange rate stabilizes, along with providing partial government support to reduce the price to less than 12 cents per kilowatt.

Among the proposed measures is simplifying the licensing process and creating a special window in the Ministry of Electricity to license solar and wind energy projects within 30 days at most, and encouraging investment in this field by providing tax incentives and exemptions for a period of five years.

The solution lies in investments… How did the government move?

In the past three months, there have been governmental statements and steps regarding the rehabilitation of the electricity sector. This sector has garnered interest from neighboring countries that announced their readiness to invest in it and sell electricity through lines or floating generators.

Experts have warned that the electricity crisis in Syria will not be resolved by “a handful” of energy purchase agreements or floating generators.

According to an economic analysis published by the magazine “Al-Majalla,” Jessica Obeid, head of the energy transition department at the SRMG Think company, noted that these deals could set the course for an active regional electricity exchange market, especially in conflict-ridden environments, while cautioning against using this sector as a new means to expand the influence of parties like Turkey.

Renewable energy

Long-term solutions are being studied with the government, one of which involves discussions held by Syrian-American energy experts with the Ministry of Electricity, culminating in a conference on investment in renewable energy on January 9.

Syrian engineer specialized in alternative energy, Serene Hamsho, was one of the participants in the discussions with the Ministry of Electricity and the conference. She stated on her Facebook account that some experts visited the Ministry of Electricity, which presented plans in three phases: the emergency plan, which includes electricity supplies from neighboring countries (currently being implemented).

There are also medium and long-term plans for repairing networks and building new power generation stations. It is expected that electricity hours will be extended to an average of four hours per day before summer, and eight hours before the end of the year.

Hamsho pointed out that there are encouraging conditions, but the challenge is guaranteeing investments. Implementing medium-sized wind energy projects, such as a 100-megawatt farm, requires medium investments worth $150 million. These investments may either be large (> $500 million) through countries like Qatar and Turkey or from private investments (which is unlikely at this stage), or small investments (< $100 million), which Hamsho expects will happen.

On February 26, the Ministry of Electricity announced a new investment project in the renewable energy sector, inviting experienced investors to submit their offers for financing and constructing a photovoltaic (solar) power station with a capacity of 100 megawatts in the Wadi al-Rabi area– Property 227, al-Ramdan in rural Damascus, under the Build-Own-Operate (BOO) system.

The project includes creating a 230-kilovolt electrical transformer station (GIS) and connecting the station to the electricity network via the Adra 2 – Tishreen overhead line (entrance and exit), along with all equipment ensuring safe operation and investment.

The BOO contract (Build-Own-Operate) allows the investor to design, finance, build, and then operate and exploit the project, while having the right to sell part of its rights without returning it to the owner, or the project can end with the expiration of its lifespan.

Promises of ships and power lines across borders

Several countries have expressed readiness to invest in the electricity sector in Syria, either through quick solutions represented by floating ships, connecting existing cross-border power lines, or supplying fuel oil and gas for power plants.

One of the fast proposals to secure electricity is importing it from neighboring countries that have power transmission lines, which applies to Jordan.

The Minister of Electricity, Omar Shakrouq, said in late December 2024 that reconnecting the electricity grid with Jordan would require six months of maintenance to be fully operational.

The Jordanian Minister of Industry and Trade, Yarub Qudah, confirmed that Jordan is ready to supply Syria with 250 to 300 megawatts of electricity directly, but this depends on the readiness of the Syrian side.

As for Turkey, the Turkish Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Alparslan Bayraktar, announced on January 9 that Turkey supplies Syria with 210 megawatts of electricity daily through seven different points, and there are plans to increase the supply.

Bayraktar stated at that time that there is the possibility of increasing supplies to 300 megawatts in February and plans to export 500 megawatts of electricity to Aleppo governorate during the next six months.

The Turkish Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, Abdul Kadir Uraloglu, previously stated that his ministry began rehabilitation works on the Birecik-Aleppo line, which can provide 300 megawatts of electricity to Syria.

He explained that operating the line at full capacity would supply around 150,000 homes with electricity.

On January 7, the Director-General of the Syrian General Electricity Transmission and Distribution Corporation, Khaled Abu Di, announced that two electricity generation ships from Qatar and Turkey are on their way to Syria, without revealing when they would start operating.

He mentioned that the two ships generate 800 megawatts, which is half of what is currently produced in Syria, noting that the per capita share of electricity will increase by about 50%.

For his part, the Qatari Prime Minister, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, promised on January 16 to continue his country’s technical support for the restoration of infrastructure and to raise the electricity level in more than ten areas in Syria.

Germany engages from Deir Ali power plant

After the approval of the European Union member states on February 25 to suspend a set of sanctions imposed on Syria, the German special envoy to Syria, Stefan Schneck, announced that the decision would enable the German company “Siemens” to repair the Deir Ali power plant and that his country succeeded in reaching an agreement with European partners, allowing the suspension of sanctions on the energy, transportation, and financing sectors.

The Deir Ali thermal power station, located near the city of al-Kiswa south of Damascus, is among the largest electricity generation plants in the country, with a production capacity of up to 1500 megawatts.

The plant operates using gas, with the possibility of switching to diesel when needed.

 

Currently, the Deir Ali power station consumes 140% of the assumed consumption due to its inefficient operation.

Karam Shaar, Director of the Syrian program at the Syrian Observatory of Political and Economic Networks

 

On January 23, an Italian delegation led by Ambassador Stefano Ravagnan and representatives from the Italian energy company “Ansaldo” visited the Deir Ali power station in rural Damascus, expressing their readiness to cooperate in developing the electricity sector in Syria.

The nature of the steps that the company will take and the expected timeframe for repairing the plant have not yet been clarified.

Sanctions and funding hinder progress

In response to the government’s statements or the promises made by foreign countries, academic and economic researcher Sinan Hatahet pointed out the lack of clarity regarding the nature of neighboring countries’ commitments to support the electricity sector in Syria, noting that Turkey is still considering upgrading infrastructure, pointing out that its previous involvement was limited to selling electricity imported from other countries through Syria.

The same situation applies to Jordan, in addition to its potential role as a transit route for gas through the Arab Gas Pipeline.

Regarding Qatari promises, Hatahet told Enab Baladi that they could play a role in supplying gas, which is the primary fuel that power plants operate on.

There are positive intentions from countries like Turkey, Qatar, and Jordan to support the electricity sector in Syria, according to political economy and local administration researcher Ayman Dasuki. However, this is contingent upon the sanctions on Syria and who will provide the necessary funding to revitalize the electricity sector.

Dasuki added that these facts explain the hindrance of proposals to support the electricity sector in Syria, prompting the interim Damascus government to propose investment projects in the energy sector under the Build, Own, Operate (BOO) investment system.

 

Currently, some countries see the potential for Syria’s situation to worsen, making the decision to invest in it imprudent.

Karam Shaar, Director of the Syrian program at the Syrian Observatory of Political and Economic Networks

 

Karam Shaar believes that the success of the projects these countries intend to undertake primarily depends on their conviction that the situation in Syria is moving towards improvement, not deterioration, a sentiment some felt at the fall of the regime or shortly afterward.

He explained to Enab Baladi that currently some countries perceive the possibility of Syria’s situation worsening, thus making investment there an unwise decision. He noted that the Syrian government is not compelled to bear the burdens as much as it should be concerned with coordinating with these parties, establishing a regulatory framework for its operations that benefits both parties.

Prioritizing and finding solutions

The past years have significantly worsened the service conditions related to electricity in Syria, where the per capita share of electricity consumption has decreased to 15% of what it was in 2010, according to a research study prepared by researchers Sinan Hatahet and Karam Shaar in 2020.

During the armed conflict, the infrastructure for electricity generation and transmission was damaged, as the warring parties targeted electricity generation stations directly and destroyed parts of the transmission network, as well as targeting gas pipelines.

Three main power generation plants were destroyed at different times, including the Aleppo thermal power station, the Zayzoun plant in Idlib, and the al-Taim plant in Deir Ezzor.

The nominal capacity of these stations combined was 1,706 megawatts before the conflict, constituting about 18.25% of national production, according to the study.

In contrast, eight power plants remained operational out of the eleven that run on fossil fuels.

The destruction of the electricity sector’s infrastructure and the government’s inability to rehabilitate it, along with various countries’ commitments to repair the sector, raise questions about the future of the sector in the near and distant future in Syria.

Maintenance and gas

In the electricity file, it is crucial for the government to wisely consider the hierarchy of priorities, as explained by Dr. Karam Shaar, pointing out that the top priority currently is the need for energy sources and carriers, the most important of which is gas to operate the existing turbines. Following this, the addition of new power generation stations or the maintenance of old ones should be based on the government’s evaluation.

During his visit in February to the Deir Ali power station in the countryside of Damascus, which is the largest electricity generation station in Syria, Dr. Shaar mentioned that it currently consumes about 140% of its supposed consumption due to inefficiency, thus consuming much larger amounts of energy sources than necessary to produce the same quantity of electricity.

Based on this, Shaar suggests that the government’s approach to the electricity file should not be arbitrary and based on available opportunities, but should stem from a comprehensive assessment of the sector.

Researcher Ayman Dasuki, on the other hand, believes that improving the electricity situation requires investment in renewable energies, linking small projects to the available electrical grid according to specific mechanisms and procedures for selling surplus, as well as exploring the possibility of electrical interconnection with neighboring countries where feasible.

 

Investors will be hesitant in light of sanctions and the political and security situation during Syria’s transitional phase.

Ayman Dasuki, Researcher in political economy and local management

 

The electricity sector needs significant investments to keep up with the growing demand for energy in Syria, whether for household or industrial needs. Dasuki notes that investors will be hesitant due to sanctions and the political and security situation during Syria’s transitional phase. Therefore, he does not expect improvements in the electricity sector in the near future, which opens the door for partial solutions that could complicate the structure of the electricity sector in the future, according to his perspective.

 

In the coming months, the supply of electricity could reach six hours in a 24-hour period, with ongoing power cuts, after some updates to the main city transformers, which will alleviate the load and improve electricity performance.

Sinan Hatahet, Syrian academic and economic researcher

 

Transmission before generation

Academic Sinan Hatahet believes that the core problem in the electricity file is not in generation, but in transmission, pointing out that the transformers are outdated and need updating, which cannot be done without signing contracts with the manufacturers, most of whom are German companies. This requires funding and lifting sanctions, as well as external intervention to support this.

From a technical perspective, the electricity distribution network also needs updating, as the technical loss rate exceeds 50%, compared to 30% before 2011, while the regional and international standard ranges between 10% and 15%.

Hatahet believes that in the coming months, electricity supply could reach six hours in a 24-hour period, with ongoing power cuts, after making some updates to the main city transformers, which will alleviate the load and improve electricity performance. However, the core problem remains in the infrastructure, along with a shortage of sufficient quantities of fuel and gas to reach the full nominal capacity of the transformers.