Damascus: Syria experienced a nationwide power outage on Tuesday night due to multiple malfunctions in the national grid, a spokesperson for the energy ministry confirmed, according to Reuters. Technical teams have been deployed to address the issues and restore electricity, the spokesperson added.
According to Syria’s state news agency SANA, electricity has already been restored in the provinces of Homs, Hama, and Tartous, with efforts underway to bring power back to the remaining governorates. The director general of the public establishment for transmitting and distributing electricity stated that the restoration process would continue gradually.
The country has been grappling with severe power shortages, with state-supplied electricity available for only two to three hours daily in most regions. The deteriorating condition of the electrical grid means that simply generating additional power is insufficient to resolve the crisis, as distribution challenges persist.
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Previously, Syria relied on Iranian oil shipments to fuel its power generation. However, these supplies have been disrupted since December, following the ouster of Tehran-backed former President Bashar al-Assad by Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham.
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The interim government, led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa, has pledged to improve electricity supply, exploring options such as importing power from Jordan and deploying floating power barges. Damascus has also announced plans to receive two electricity-generating ships from Turkey and Qatar to alleviate the ongoing crisis.
