Türkiye announces completion of gas pipeline with Syria

The Turkish Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources announced the completion of a natural gas pipeline project extending from the Turkish province of Kilis to the northern Syrian city of Aleppo, paving the way for gas supplies to Syria in the coming days.

Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar told Turkish official Anadolu News Agency on Friday, May 23, that technical tests are currently underway to begin gas exports to Syria soon.

Bayraktar confirmed that Turkish technical teams have visited Syria several times in recent months to assess the state of the energy infrastructure, determine basic needs, and work on short- and long-term projects to improve this vital sector.

Bayraktar added that these efforts have begun to bear fruit over the past five or six months, transforming from theoretical studies into real projects on the ground.

He explained that providing energy infrastructure, particularly electricity, is a prerequisite for a return to normal life in Syria.

He also revealed plans to generate electricity using Turkish natural gas, noting that the export process will begin next June.

The exported gas will be used to power plants inside Syria to meet local energy needs.

He explained that Türkiye is also working to develop long-term strategic projects in Syria related to electricity transmission, distribution, and production, emphasizing the importance of these projects for reconstruction and supporting the country’s stability.

In a related development, the Turkish minister paid an official visit to Damascus, during which he met with interim Syrian transitional President Ahmad al Sharaa and held talks with his Syrian counterpart, Mohammed al Bashir.

The visit culminated in the signing of joint cooperation agreements between the two parties in the fields of energy, mining, and fuels.

Bayraktar stated that Ankara plans to export approximately two billion cubic meters of natural gas annually to Syria, which will contribute to generating between 1,200 and 1,300 megawatts of electricity.

He noted that exports will begin from Aleppo and will later expand to Homs Governorate.

These moves come amid Türkiye’s growing interest in strengthening economic cooperation with Syria, especially after the recent political changes in Damascus.

Expectations indicate a potential boom in trade relations between the two sides.

Earlier this year, the Foreign Economic Relations Board of Türkiye announced a plan to increase trade with Syria to $10 billion in the coming period, according to İbrahim Fuat Özçörkçi, chairman of the council’s Turkish-Syrian Business Council.

It’s worth noting that Syria’s electricity sector has been severely damaged during the years of conflict, due to neglect, sabotage, and direct targeting of infrastructure.

Syria has 14 power plants, 11 of which rely on fossil fuels, while three operate on hydroelectric power.

The most prominent of these is the Tabqa Dam plant in the Raqqa countryside, which entered service in 1973 and remains in operation to this day.