Jordan readying infrastructure to cover portion of Syria’s electricity needs – minister

AMMAN — Jordan is ready to supply Syria with electricity, minister of energy has recently said, amid the sharp decline in Syria’s conventional energy resources due to a long-drawn-out crisis.

Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Salaeh Kharabsheh said on Friday that “Jordan, at Syria’s request, is currently preparing the necessary infrastructure to supply the Nasib border crossing with electricity.”

He also said that the electrical connection line inside the Jordanian territory is ready up to the Jordan-Syria border, adding that the electricity supply to the northern neighbour will begin once the Syrian side is ready, according to a Prime Ministry statement.

According to international reports, Syria has been suffering from severe energy crisis, with electricity available for households and businesses only two to four hours per day. 

Reports suggested that electricity generation in Syria has plummeted to less than 25 per cent of pre-war levels, with the destruction of power plants and difficulties in securing the necessary fuel resulting in total power generation falling to under 2,000 megawatts. 

Turkey said recently that a delegation from energy ministry will visit Syria to discuss possible energy cooperation including transmitting electricity to ease power shortages.

Turkey currently provides electricity to some parts of northern Syria where it has mounted four military operations since 2016.