Türkiye will begin supplying Syria, which has suffered from severe power shortages, with gas in "a very short time," Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said on Thursday, during a visit to Damascus.
The minister met his Syrian counterpart and was also hosted by Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, according to an Anadolu Agency (AA) report.
The Syrian energy minister, in a joint news conference held alongside Bayraktar, said the gas flows are expected to start in June, a Reuters report said.
Türkiye will provide some 2 billion cubic metres (bcm) of natural gas to Syria annually, Bayraktar said. He noted that gas exports to Syria will contribute to an additional 1,300 megawatts (MW) of electricity production in the country.
Türkiye will also provide an additional 1,000 megawatts (MW) of electricity to neighboring Syria for its short-term needs, he added. Ankara is positioning itself to play a major role in Syria's reconstruction following the end of the civil war and the ousting of Bashar Assad late last year.
Bayraktar earlier said the gas supply to Syria would commence within three months.
Syrian Energy Minister Mohammed al-Bashir said they agreed to activate a gas pipeline that connects Syria with Türkiye, with gas flows expected in June.
"This will significantly boost electricity generation, which will positively impact the Syrian people's electricity needs," al-Bashir said.
The two ministers discussed completing a 400-kilovolt line that links the countries, contributing to importing around 500 megawatts of electricity into Syria, to be ready by the end of the year or shortly thereafter, he added.
Cooperation also includes opening the door for Turkish companies to invest in mining, phosphate, electricity generation and electricity distribution in Syria.
"There is very intensive work underway regarding the discovery of new natural resources, whether gas or oil, on land or at sea," Bayraktar said.
During his visit to Damascus, the two countries also signed a memorandum of understanding on energy, mining and hydrocarbons, he said separately in a post on X.
"During our visit to Damascus, the capital of Syria, we first met with the Syrian Minister of Energy, Mr. Mohammed Al-Bashir. During our meeting, we discussed the steps to be taken to rebuild and strengthen the energy infrastructure for the normalization of life in Syria," he said.
"In this context, we signed the 'Memorandum of Understanding on Energy, Mining and Hydrocarbons' between our countries. With the agreement, we aim to establish a wide range of cooperation from electricity production and trade to natural gas projects, hydrocarbon exploration and production activities, exploration and processing of minerals," he added.
"In the coming months, we plan to at least triple our current electricity exports, reaching a level of approximately 1,000 megawatts," he reiterated in the written statement.
"We also aim to start exporting approximately 2 billion cubic meters of natural gas annually from Kilis to Aleppo and Homs in a very short time."
"We are building a strong energy cooperation model with Syria that will reinforce regional stability and accelerate development. We believe that this cooperation will contribute to the establishment of lasting peace and common prosperity not only for both countries but also for the entire region," he concluded.
