Syrians suffer under power cuts despite new gas shipments

Large areas of Syria are struggling with prolonged power outages despite the arrival of gas shipments that were expected to ease the country's energy crisis.

The crisis has caused great hardship in the country, adding to the burdens of a population already suffering from the consequences of years of war and harsh economic sanctions.

The ongoing electricity cuts are disrupting the daily lives of millions of Syrians, at a time when basic energy, water, health, and education needs are not being met

Akram Al-Bustani, a resident of Damascus, told The New Arab’s sister site Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that the ongoing power cuts had made his family’s daily life extremely difficult, especially amid stifling summer temperatures.

“We are forced to run the air conditioners on private generators, which costs us amounts far beyond our means. The children suffer from interruptions in online learning, and even cooking becomes a challenge when the power is out.”

Khawla Al-Ibrahim, who is from Rif Dimashq province near the Syrian capital, said: “Water no longer reaches us regularly because the electric pumps have stopped, and this makes us suffer from poor hygiene and health issues, especially with sick people in the house.”

Abdullah Martakoush, a carpenter, told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed: “The power cuts have greatly affected my work in the carpentry workshop. Many machines have stopped, causing me heavy losses. Even life at home has become difficult, especially with older children who need to study.”

Severe shortages

Syria suffers from an acute shortage of electricity, with the state providing power for only two to three hours a day in most areas.

Damage to the power grid means that generating more electricity and delivering it to the public is only part of the problem; the damaged infrastructure remains a key obstacle to achieving a stable supply.

In comments to Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, Khaled Abu Di, the Director of the Public Corporation for the Transmission and Distribution of Electricity in Syria, said that intensely hot weather and high humidity were among the main reasons for the partial blackout in the south of the country.

He said that this had caused all high-voltage lines in the central region to stop working while shutting down units at the key Jandar electricity generating station, effectively splitting the electricity grid into two separate networks.

A fault on the 230 kV high-voltage line between Deir Ali and Al-Kiswah also created a major shock to the network, shutting down generation units at the Al-Nasiriya, Tishreen, and Deir Ali stations.

Rising temperatures further strained the grid by lowering turbine efficiency while increasing demand for electricity. Abu Di noted that weather conditions have played a significant role in worsening the electricity crisis in Syria. 

He added that the electricity sector was still suffering from the destruction of recent years, with damage estimated at around 45 percent in power plants, 30–35 percent in transmission networks, and about 20 percent in substations.

Distribution networks, which have been repeatedly attacked, have been damaged by around 40 percent. Syria was also lacking an integrated power system.

Frequent power outages place a heavy burden on the Syrian economy, already reeling from the effects of war and sanctions.

Factory and shop closures translate directly into major financial losses, job losses, and a decline in domestic production. The agricultural sector is also affected by the shutdown of irrigation and refrigeration systems, indirectly threatening food security.

In daily life, power cuts worsen citizens’ suffering as they are forced to rely on private generators, significantly increasing living costs amid soaring fuel prices and falling purchasing power.

Outages also disrupt health services, increase patient hardship, and negatively impact education due to the suspension of online learning.