Syrian Minister of Energy Muhammad al-Bashir emphasized the importance of a concluded agreement on strategic cooperation with companies from Turkey, USA and Qatar in the amount of $ 7 billion.
On the eve of Damascus, a ceremony of signing a document between the Ministry of Energy of Syria and the consortium, which included Turkish companies Kalyon Holding and Cengiz Holding, the Qatari UCC, as well as the American company Power International.
In an interview with an ANADOL agency correspondent, the minister said this agreement is one of the most large -scale and significant for the country’s energy sector today. According to him, it will marked the beginning of a new investment stage and will become a symbol of indigenous changes in the Syria energy supply system.
The minister noted that the planned investments will increase the quality of service, create new jobs and will contribute to general economic and social development.
“The agreement provides for the construction of four power plants operating on natural gas, as well as one solar power plant. The total installed capacity will be 5,000 megavatts,” he said.
Al-Bashir recalled that international sanctions acting against Syria for many years scared potential investors:
“Many companies wanted to invest in various sectors, but the sanctions were the main obstacle to them. After their cancellation, investors began to act bolder,” he added.
The minister emphasized that the signed agreement is a vivid example of these positive changes. According to him, the implementation of projects together with companies from the USA, Turkey and Qatar is a signal to the international community about growing confidence in the investment potential of Syria.
Speaking of regional energy cooperation, Al-Bashir said that work continues on the project of the supply of natural gas from Turkey and Jordan:
“We are moving in the direction of commissioning a new power line with a voltage of 400 kV, connecting Syria with Turkey and Jordan. Our goal is to significantly increase the volume of supplies and the duration of electricity supply in the first months of the next year,” the minister said.
Today, according to him, the amount of electricity supplied to the Syrian houses is about 1,500 megavatts, and the average feed time is limited to 3-4 hours a day.
“In the first two to three months of the next year, a significant increase in both supplies and the duration of the supply of electricity is expected,” he said.
“After the abolition of Syria sanctions, it became a country of investment capabilities. This agreement is an open invitation for all sectors. The country is ready for investment. The possibilities are huge, companies are already lining in line,” the minister concluded.