Türkiye, Qatar to send electricity-generating ships to Syria: State media

DAMASCUS

Türkiye and Qatar are set to dispatch two electricity-generating ships to Syria in a bid to alleviate the country’s severe energy crisis, exacerbated by widespread infrastructure damage during toppled President Bashar al-Assad's rule, Syrian state news agency SANA reported on Jan. 7.

The agency reported that electricity shortages in Syria have reached a critical juncture, with government-supplied electricity restricted to a mere two to three hours daily in most regions.

The interim government has projected a target of extending this duration to eight hours within two months.

The incoming vessels, collectively capable of generating 800 megawatts, which is equivalent to half of what is being produced now, said Khaled Abu Dai, head of the national electricity company.

However, the precise timeline for their arrival and the exact ports of their docking remain undisclosed.

“Electric transmission lines will be installed from the docking site of the ships to the nearest substation to facilitate their connection to the grid,” he elaborated.

“The extent of damage to the generation and transformation stations and electrical connection lines during the period of the former regime is very large, we are seeking to rehabilitate them in order to transmit energy,” the official explained.

The announcment came after the U.S. eased some restrictions on Syria's transitional government to allow the entry of humanitarian aid.

The U.S. Treasury issued a general license, lasting six months, that authorizes certain transactions with the Syrian government, including some energy sales and incidental transactions.

The move does not lift sanctions on the nation that has been battered by more than a decade of war, but indicates a limited show of U.S. support for the new transitional government.

Türkiye’s Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar recently announced that a delegation from the ministry visited Syria to conduct assessments of the country’s energy and electricity infrastructure. Stressing that electricity is Syria’s most pressing energy-related challenge, Minister Bayraktar reaffirmed Türkiye’s commitment to providing support in this domain.

In a broader context of reconstruction and development, an extensive consultation meeting was convened in Istanbul with high-level participation to deliberate on Syria's rebuilding efforts.

A consensus was also reached on organizing a "New Syria Reconstruction Forum," which aims to bring together Syrian entrepreneurs to catalyze economic revival and sustainable development.