AANES to import gas to meet NE Syria’s energy needs
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Director of the Sweidiya gas plant in the vicinity of Derik (al-Malikiyah), far-northeastern Syria, Agid Abdulmajid, said that the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) is about to import gas to meet the needs of the population in northern and northeastern Syria.
Abdulmajid told North Press that the AANES is making every effort and utilizing all available resources to secure gas supply, as there has been a significant increase in demand for household gas.
He said that there are ongoing efforts to import gas from the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI), noting that it would be sold at cost.
On Jan.16, Co-chair of the Energy Office of the AANES, Akram Suleiman, said, that the Sweidiya gas plant is “100 percent destroyed” and cannot be rehabilitated.
Abdulmajid did not disclose the exact cost of imported gas, emphasizing that the current priority is securing gas.
He pointed out that they are encountering major challenges when it comes to rehabilitating the plant including the scarcity of manpower and materials, in addition to the persistent threats from Turkey.
Turkish drones targeted with seven strikes the power plants in Kobani, Ain Issa, Amuda, Tirbe Spiyeh (al-Qahtaniya), Qamishli, and Derbasiyah. As a result, these stations went out of service, according to statistics released by the AANES on Jan.15.
Turkey also carried out seven airstrikes on oil facilities. The targeted locations included the Sweidiya gas plant, the Awda oil field, the Taflah Refinery station, and another oil facility in the village of Gire Pire, near the town of Tirbe Spiyeh. Furthermore, warehouses used for oil field maintenance in northeastern Syria were also hit.