Deir Ezzor, Dec. 2 (SANA) Syria’s Minister of Energy Mohammad al-Bashir on Tuesday laid the foundation stone for the Deir Ezzor gas-fired power plant at the al-Taym oil field, with a planned generating capacity of 1,000 megawatts, in the presence of UCC Holding CEO Marwan al-Dimas and Deir Ezzor Governor Ghassan al-Ahmad.
The project is part of an agreement signed between the Ministry of Energy and UCC Holding to establish four power generation plants across Syria with a total combined capacity of 5,000 megawatts.
Speaking at the ceremony, Minister al-Bashir said that less than a year after Syria’s liberation, the government had already launched a series of major projects aimed at restoring the country’s energy sector and economic strength.
“Within one year of liberation, we announced four gas power stations and a range of renewable energy projects that today form the core foundation of Syria’s energy renaissance,” al-Bashir said.
He added that the Deir Ezzor plant, implemented under the patronage of President Ahmad al-Sharaa, would be more than a power station. “It will be a station for revival, development and the spread of light across Syria,” he said.
The minister noted that Syria’s energy sector has begun to recover rapidly despite the short time since liberation, with major projects now forming a solid economic and industrial base for the future. He stressed that Syrians have once again proven their ability to rebuild, just as they previously proved their ability to liberate.
Al-Bashir said the Deir Ezzor power station would be one of the most vital projects in eastern Syria, helping stabilize the national power grid, reduce technical losses and meet electricity needs for cities, villages, industrial zones and agricultural areas. The plant is also expected to support investment and local production.
“For eastern Syria, this is a landmark achievement in reconstruction and development,” he said. “Let this station be the gateway to a new era of light, work, construction and dignity.”
Marwan al-Dimas CEO of UCC Holding told SANA that the Deir Ezzor project is the first within an integrated 5,000-megawatt program signed between the Ministry of Energy and the international firm, in partnership with Turkish companies Cengiz and Kalyon, and U.S.-based Power International.
Al-Dimas said foundation stones for the remaining stations under the agreement will be laid in the coming days. He added that the full program is expected to create thousands of jobs and significantly expand Syria’s electricity generation capacity, with a projected implementation period of 36 months.
Last month, the Ministry of Energy finalized contracts for the construction of eight power generation stations with a total capacity of 5,000 megawatts under Syria’s national plan to meet energy needs and support economic and social development. The projects are being implemented by an international consortium led by UCC Holding through its subsidiary Urbacon Concessions Investment, in partnership with Kalyon, Cengiz and U.S.-based Power International.
