Syria's Electricity Sector Rebuilds Amid War Damage

The Syrian electricity sector has been severely impacted by years of war and destruction. Before 2011, Syria generated most of its own electricity from thermal plants burning natural gas, heavy fuel oil, and diesel, with hydropower making a smaller contribution. The average residential tariff was around 2.73 cents per kilowatt-hour, but the sector struggled with high losses due to technical problems and unpaid bills.

The war led to widespread damage to power infrastructure, including the Zeyzoun thermal power plant in Idlib province, which was put out of service after regime air strikes destroyed most of its generators and transformers. Residents relied on private generators, solar panels, and batteries for limited hours of power at high cost.

However, with agreements to connect local networks to Turkish suppliers, a new model emerged. Private companies began supplying electricity from Turkey through prepaid cards and meters, providing near-continuous power to areas outside regime control in northwestern Syria.