Cost of Syria’s civil war on electrical grid estimated at $35B

Syrian Minister of Electricity, Omar Shakrouk, announced that the country’s electrical infrastructure sustained $35 billion in damages during the nearly 14 years of civil war.

In a press briefing, Shakrouk outlined the severe state of the country’s electrical network, describing it as “largely destroyed” upon his ministry’s assumption of responsibility.

Damaged infrastructure and limited electricity supply

Shakrouk explained that when the ministry took charge, the country’s power grid had been devastated, limiting the amount of electricity that could be provided to households.

“At the beginning of our work, we were able to provide electricity for no more than 2 hours per day,” he said, adding that efforts were underway to improve the situation.

To address these issues, the Ministry of Electricity undertook repairs on some power plants during the month of Ramadan.

This led to improvements in electricity service, particularly with the availability of fuel supplies, which had previously been scarce. Shakrouk emphasized that the goal was to increase daily electricity availability from 2 hours to eight hours, though full coverage remains out of reach.

“Currently, we cannot provide electricity all day because we need 23 million cubic meters of gas and 5,000 tons of fuel every day,” he added.

Challenges with regional gas supply and electricity distribution

The electricity minister also noted that the situation could improve significantly if the oil and gas resources in areas occupied by the PKK/YPG terrorist group in northern Syria were utilized.

Shakrouk outlined plans to repair the country’s entire electricity network, but highlighted that theft of materials and infrastructure posed a significant obstacle to restoration efforts.

Despite these challenges, the Ministry has made progress, restoring certain electrical lines and working towards providing 24-hour electricity to industrial cities.

However, Shakrouk noted that this ambitious goal depends on the availability of sufficient fuel and functioning stations, which are currently lacking.

Shakrouk also discussed plans to diversify Syria’s energy sources, revealing that the country aims to generate 1,000 megawatts of electricity from solar and wind projects within the first year.

“We have submitted a report to the government regarding new electricity tariffs, and fair distribution of electricity remains a priority for our ministry,” he said.

Five-year plan for power grid restoration

The damage to Syria’s electrical grid, caused by years of conflict, amounts to a staggering $35 billion in losses. To address this, Shakrouk shared that the Ministry had developed a five-year plan for the restoration and development of the electrical infrastructure.

According to the plan, $39 billion will be required by 2030 to fully rehabilitate the power grid.

Despite the challenges, Shakrouk expressed optimism, noting that the Syrian government remains committed to improving the electricity situation and providing better services to the population.