Syria’s ministry of electricity has announced a new 100-megawatt photovoltaic power station to be built to tackle the nation’s energy crisis, following over a decade of unrest and economic uncertainty in the country.Â
The solar power station, which would be based in the Damascus countryside, is part of a new investment opportunity designed to attract energy investors to finance, build, and operate the station.
The plant will be in Wadi al-Rabi, an area chosen to meet the country’s growing electricity needs, which were severely impacted by years of war under Bashar al-Assad’s regime, the ministry said, according to various Arabic media reports.Â
The massive project will also include the construction of a high-tech GIS conversion station, designed to connect to the national grid through a 230 kV double overhead line for safe, long-term operation.
In an official statement, the ministry called for experienced investors, with proposals accepted for the next 50 days.
The power station, once built, will operate under a usufruct agreement, allowing investors to run the facility for 25 years without state involvement in production or management.
Ahmed Al-Sharaa’s administration hopes this will give investors a strong incentive to develop the station, providing a much-needed boost to Syria’s failing power sector.
Electricity shortages in Syria
This investment announcement comes at a critical time, as the interim government faces the challenge of addressing the severe electricity shortages exacerbated by the previous regime’s collapse.
In response, the ministry has outlined a comprehensive three-phase plan to tackle the energy crisis, focusing on addressing fuel shortages and securing essential maintenance equipment to repair severely damaged power stations.
Syria’s power sector and electrical grid have been severely affected by years of conflict and international sanctions, leaving the country reliant on Iranian fuel supplies and oil imports from northeastern Syria, controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
Since the fall of Assad on 8 December, both Iran and the SDF have ceased all fuel exports to the interim authorities.
The European Union, which has imposed a wide range of sanctions targeting individuals and economic sectors in Syria, took a significant step on 24 February by suspending several sanctions, including those related to energy, banking, transport, and reconstruction.
The decision came after rebel forces led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham toppled Bahar al-Assad in December, and EU foreign ministers agreed to ease restrictions on the energy and transport sectors during a meeting in Brussels.
In line with the EU’s strategy to engage with Syria, the suspension also included lifting asset freezes on five banks, easing restrictions on the Syrian central bank, and extending an exemption for the delivery of humanitarian aid indefinitely.
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani welcomed the move, writing on X: “We have spent the past two months engaging in discussions and diplomatic efforts to ease the unjust sanctions that have burdened our people.
“We welcome the EU’s decision to suspend selected sanctions on specific sectors and see this as a step toward alleviating the suffering of our people.”
