Syria Huiran Industrial Energy Storage Project

Syria's energy system is in ruins. To rebuild energy security the country's new government faces two major challenges. The first, vital for Syria's swift recovery and political stability, is bringing reliable flows of electricity and fuel to its people.

The lack of reliable energy supplies is a major concern for Syrian citizens and its new government, making it a key point of leverage. Qatar and Türkiye have stepped in to provide short-term assistance. The two states have provided two floating power stations, while Türkiye is also connecting its grid to Syria.

In the longer term, it should offer Syria a role in an interconnected Eastern Mediterranean energy hub with independent access to the EU market for gas and electricity. For more than a decade, Syrians have been coping with severe energy shortages. Years of war and division have crippled over 50% of the country's electricity grid.

The war has seen a drop in electricity generation capacity from 8 500 Megawatts to just 3 500, primarily due to the destruction of key power plants including Mahardah, Aleppo and Zayzoun. The lack of reliable energy supplies is a major concern for Syrian citizens and its new government. Syria's oil and gas sector is in an even worse state.

Syria's oil and gas sector is in an even worse state. Before 2011 the country was an oil exporter producing 400 000 barrels of oil per day. Today, it scarcely produces 20 000 and relies on imports. Its gas sector, nascent in 2011, is almost none-existent today.

Syria, a country at the crossroads of the Middle East, faces complex challenges as it seeks to navigate its energy transition amidst ongoing geopolitical tensions and conflict. Despite these challenges, Syria holds significant potential in its energy resources, with petroleum, natural gas, and hydropower forming the backbone of its energy mix.