Syria to sign electricity deal with Turkey, says minister

Syria is preparing to finalize an agreement to import electricity from Turkey via a high-voltage transmission line linking the two countries, Syrian Energy Minister Mohammed al-Bashir said on Sunday, according to the state news agency.

The 400-kilovolt transmission line is expected to be operational "soon," marking a significant step in Syria’s efforts to address its chronic power shortages.

In addition to the electricity deal, Damascus is also pursuing the construction of a natural gas pipeline from the Turkish border town of Kilis to the northern Syrian city of Aleppo. Al-Bashir said the planned pipeline would supply up to 6 million cubic meters of gas per day to Syrian power plants, helping to stabilize the country’s energy infrastructure.

Syria has faced widespread electricity outages in recent years and has previously announced efforts to cooperate with regional partners, including Gulf countries, to rebuild its energy and electricity sectors.