Jordan and Syria are engaged in intensive bilateral talks aimed at supplying electricity to Damascus through Jordanian infrastructure, Jordan’s Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Saleh Kharabsheh announced Wednesday during a meeting with his Syrian counterpart, Mohammad al-Bashir, in the Jordanian capital.
Speaking at a joint press conference with Jordan’s Minister of Water Raed Abu al-Saud and Syrian Energy Minister Bashir, Kharabsheh revealed that the two countries are coordinating to rehabilitate the power interconnection line within Syrian territory that links to Jordan’s grid.
“A roadmap has been drawn up to explore avenues of cooperation in the energy sector,” Kharabsheh said, adding that Jordan was offering its full capabilities to Syria, including expertise in renewable energy, electricity distribution, and petroleum storage.
The talks also addressed upgrading the existing transmission line to carry up to 300 megawatts of electricity, according to Kharabsheh. Discussions extended to the supply of natural gas to Syria—an arrangement that has been in place for years and is expected to be expanded.
Regional Energy Cooperation
Kharabsheh further disclosed that the two sides had discussed potential trilateral cooperation involving Qatar and Egypt to support Syria’s electricity needs. Talks are also underway with the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development to finance feasibility studies related to this initiative. A joint technical team has been formed to follow up on the file.
Other topics covered in the meetings included the distribution and marketing of petroleum products, and leveraging Jordan’s advanced infrastructure for storing and monitoring petroleum derivatives, particularly through state-owned firms such as Jordan Oil Logistics Company and the Jordan Petroleum Refinery Company.
For his part, Syrian Energy Minister Mohammad al-Bashir noted that the World Bank had provided a grant to rehabilitate the Syrian-Jordanian power interconnection line. He also announced that Syria and Jordan had agreed to increase the volume of gas transmitted through Jordan to Syrian power plants.
Bashir added that technical committees had been established to review bilateral water agreements, including the Yarmouk Basin agreement between the two countries.
Severe Electricity Shortages in Syria
Syria is currently grappling with a severe electricity shortfall. To ensure 24-hour power across the country, it needs approximately 6,500 megawatts, but its current production capacity hovers around 1,700 megawatts. Under optimal fuel supply conditions, output could reach up to 4,000 megawatts.
The country’s electrical infrastructure has suffered extensive damage during 14 years of conflict, with the Ministry of Energy estimating reconstruction costs at roughly $5.5 billion.
Syria also requires 23 million cubic meters of gas and 5,000 tons of fuel oil daily to keep its electricity generation stable. The country relies on thermal power stations—which run primarily on fuel oil and gas—for more than 90% of its electricity, rendering its energy security highly vulnerable.
International Efforts
Turkey has previously expressed readiness to assist in supplying electricity to Syria, including exporting gas and electricity via shared networks or floating power ships. Ankara and Damascus also signed an agreement for the daily import of 6 million cubic meters of gas to support Syria’s thermal plants.
Additionally, a Qatari initiative aims to supply natural gas to Syria for electricity generation, with plans to produce up to 5,000 megawatts—4,000 from modern gas-powered plants and 1,000 from solar energy.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
