Damascus, SANA- Energy Minister, Mohammad al-Bashir, and Turkish Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Alparslan Bayraktar, signed on Thursday an agreement aimed at developing and strengthening energy cooperation between Syria and Turkey.
At a press conference, al-Bashir said that the agreement covers areas of oil, gas, minerals, and electricity, in addition to the exchange of expertise and scientific research in the energy sector.
Al-Bashir added that the gas pipeline linking the Turkish city of Kilis to Aleppo, Syria will be completed and there is an agreement to operate this pipeline and supply gas from Turkey to Syria next June.
“This will contribute to increasing electricity generation to meet electricity needs of the Syrian people” he said.
Al-Bashir also explained that there will be electricity connection between turkey and Syria to import some 500 megawatts by the beginning of next year.
Al-Bashir said that emphasis was placed on “raising the level of coordination and cooperation in investment areas, including Turkish companies’ investment into mining, phosphates, electricity generation, transmission, and distribution.”
For his part, Bayraktar emphasized that restoring infrastructure in Syria to restore normal life is a priority by developing projects to supply Syria with 1,000 megawatts of electricity by increasing the capacity of existing power plants.
He indicated that Syria will be supplied with 6 million cubic meters of gas, which will increase the electricity supply from 2 to 12 hours per day.
“We are working to explore new natural resources of oil and gas on land and at sea and utilize them more quickly” Bayraktar said.
Abdul/ Fedaa
