Syria Begins Receiving Gas from Azerbaijan via Turkey

The first deliveries of Azerbaijani natural gas to Syria through Turkish territory began Saturday, marking the launch of a regional energy corridor linking the three countries.

The inauguration ceremony for the new gas transmission line was attended by Syrian Energy Minister Mohammad Al-Bashir, Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar, Azerbaijani Economy Minister Mikayil Jabbarov, and representatives from the Qatar Fund for Development, which is providing financial support for the project.

Minister Al-Bashir hailed the new regional pipeline as a strategic step toward strengthening Syria’s energy security. He said the project would directly improve electricity generation capacity, extend daily operating hours for power plants, and contribute to economic recovery and better living conditions, supporting efforts to bring displaced Syrians back to their communities.

Under the first phase of the agreement, Syria will receive about 3.4 million cubic meters of gas per day, enabling the production of an additional 750 megawatts of electricity. This, Al-Bashir said, would add roughly four extra hours of electricity supply per day, fueling industrial growth and stimulating the broader economy.

The gas deliveries are being facilitated under a trilateral cooperation framework supported by Qatar.

Youssef Al-Youssef, director of the Syrian Gas Company, said the initial pumping began from the Harjalah border station north of Aleppo to the city’s thermal power plant. Initial flows amount to 745,000 cubic meters per day and will be ramped up over the coming week to the full 3.4 million cubic meters.

The supply will be distributed among the Aleppo thermal plant and gas-fired power stations in other provinces. The pipeline route runs from Harjalah through the Tounian plant, then to the Al-Biyarat area in Palmyra, where it branches to feed the Jandal and Tishreen power stations.

Once fully operational, the gas is expected to generate between 750 and 800 megawatt-hours of electricity daily, strengthening the stability of Syria’s national grid. While the infrastructure can currently handle the planned volumes, further upgrades will be needed if supply increases in the future.

According to Turkey’s Energy Minister, electricity exports to Syria are currently conducted through eight connection points. Plans are underway to increase this capacity by 25% initially, eventually more than doubling it. He also noted the potential to export up to 2 billion cubic meters of natural gas annually to Syria, enough to meet the electricity needs of 5 million households.