Syria to boost electricity supply with additional gas imports from Turkey
DAMASCUS, Syria (North Press) – Director of the Electricity Transmission and Distribution Corporation of Syrian transitional government, Khaled Abu Di, told North Press on Tuesday that the Ministry of Energy is working to purchase an additional 2.6 million cubic meters of gas.
With this purchase, the total volume will reach six million cubic meters—the amount outlined in the protocol signed between the Syrian and Turkish energy ministers—setting the maximum supply via the Syrian-Turkish pipeline at six million cubic meters.
Abu Di stressed that the ministry is making every effort to increase electricity delivery hours, pledging that citizens would be promptly informed of any new developments. “We will not make promises that cannot be fulfilled, but we are committed to doing everything possible, with all the ministry’s resources, to improve power supply as soon as possible,” he said.
Earlier this month, Turkey began exporting Azerbaijani natural gas to Syria through the Kilis–Aleppo pipeline.
The electricity chief noted that previous announcements about increasing supply to 10 hours a day were based on realistic technical assessments. However, unforeseen challenges—including gradual gas pumping, extreme summer heat, and reduced generator efficiency—prevented the plan from being implemented, causing public disappointment.
He added that Syria’s electricity grid remains in a fragile state, requiring extensive repairs and upgrades to enhance performance and ensure future stability. Abu Di also confirmed that turbines currently out of service are expected to resume operations within the next two days, which should pave the way for extended electricity supply once the full Azerbaijani gas flow is utilized.
While the full gas volume is now available, Abu Di explained that generation efficiency remains heavily influenced by weather conditions, particularly high temperatures that affect turbine performance.
He emphasized that Syria’s electricity infrastructure remains capable of transmitting up to 7,000 megawatts, while generation capacity stands at about 5,000 megawatts. The key challenge, he said, lies in securing sufficient gas supplies to bridge the gap and stabilize the sector.