Syria signed a deal on Monday to buy natural gas from Jordan as it looks to boost its power supply.
The deal provides for Jordan to deliver four million cubic metres of gas per day, to be used for generating electricity in Syrian power stations.
During Syria's civil war, electricity supply declined to as little as one or two hours of state power a day in many areas. The new government of President Ahmad Al Shara is seeking to rebuild infrastructure with investment from other Middle East countries.
Jordan has already been providing smaller quantities of gas since January 1, said Energy Minister Saleh Al Kharabsheh. It uses a ship leased from Egypt to receive liquefied gas at Aqaba port, then send it to Syria through a pipeline.
The kingdom had said last November that it was interested in activating energy deals with Lebanon and Syria that were struck in 2022 and 2023 but had never got off the ground.
Syrian Energy Minister Mohammad Al Bashir said the new deal with Jordan “will help secure fuel for power plants, diversify gas sources, and improve electricity reliability”, according to state media.
Mr Al Kharabsheh said the deal reflects Jordan's “pivotal role as a regional energy hub” and its approach to “supporting Syrian brothers and enhancing Arab economic integration”.
The World Bank last year approved a $146 million grant to restore transmission lines and substations in Syria.
The agreement with Jordan is the second boost to Syria's energy ambitions in a matter of days, after government forces retook control of vital oilfields from a Kurdish-led militia. The army reclaimed the main energy-producing areas of Deir Ezzor and Raqqa in an offensive against the Syrian Democratic Forces.
However, The National found debris, metal scraps and rusty food cans at the site of the Al Omar oilfield, which was bombed by foreign forces when ISIS controlled the area. Syrian energy bosses say it will take billions of dollars to restore it.
