Qatar to Supply Natural Gas to Syria via Jordan with US Approval: Reuters

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – Qatar is preparing to provide natural gas to Syria through Jordan to bolster the country's severely limited electricity supply, according to three sources familiar with the arrangement, in a significant development that has received approval from Washington.

The initiative represents the most concrete support for Syria's new leadership from Qatar, which had been one of the region's most vocal opponents of the recently deposed Bashar al-Assad regime and a prominent backer of the rebels who now govern the country.

The Qatar Fund for Development confirmed to Reuters that it will provide Jordan's Ministry of Energy with a grant to finance the gas supply operation to Syria, according to an email statement obtained by the news agency.

Jordanian Minister of Energy Saleh al-Kharabsheh told Jordan's state news agency that the initiative would be "fully funded" by Qatar's development fund.

"As part of the arrangement, liquefied gas (LNG) will be received, transferred, and pumped to the Syrian side via the Arab Gas Pipeline using a floating liquefaction vessel (FLO) in Aqaba. The Deir Ali facility in Syria will gradually increase its production capacity, with the initial phase aiming to increase energy generation by up to 400 megawatts per day," al-Kharabsheh explained to Jordan News Agency (Petra). The existing pipeline infrastructure runs northward from Aqaba across Jordanian territory into Syria.

According to two sources with knowledge of the technical arrangements, the gas would be transferred from Jordan to the Deir Ali power plant located in southern Syria. The Qatari fund's statement indicated that this supply would initially increase the plant's output by 400 megawatts per day, with plans to "gradually increase" this capacity. Current estimates place Syria's recent power generation capacity at approximately 4,000 megawatts.

Critical Power Shortages

Syria currently suffers from severe electricity shortages, with state-supplied power available only two to three hours daily in most areas. The situation is further complicated by significant damage to the country's electrical grid infrastructure.

Prior to the recent political changes, Damascus had received the majority of its oil for power generation from Iran. However, these supplies were cut off after Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham led the ouster of Tehran-allied former President Assad in December.

Syria's interim government has pledged to rapidly improve power supply, partly through importing electricity from Jordan and deploying floating power barges, though the latter have yet to arrive.

Two additional sources with knowledge of separate arrangements revealed to the Reuters that Jordan has secured U.S. approval to supply up to 250 megawatts of electricity to Syria during non-peak hours. However, this electricity transfer faces technical obstacles.

"The internal network in Syria is not yet ready to receive this and needs a significant amount of work. Additionally, some matters are still unclear about financing of the agreement," said Ibrahim Seif, a former Jordanian Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources.

Diplomatic Context

The Reuters report suggested that the U.S. green light for these energy initiatives, coupled with efforts to encourage negotiations between Kurdish forces in northern Syria and Damascus, implies Washington remains actively engaged in Syrian affairs, despite taking a more cautious approach than European nations regarding sanctions relief.

The report also indicated that a Western diplomat briefed on Qatar's gas plan characterized it as part of Doha's effort to follow up political backing from Gulf Arab states, including Saudi Arabia, with concrete assistance to support Syria's new leadership.

"They are very keen to finally give something, even if it won't make a huge difference," the diplomat told Reuters.

Despite a sanctions waiver issued by the United States in January that allowed for certain transactions, including energy-related ones, Gulf states' support has largely not translated into official, tangible assistance due to remaining U.S. sanctions on Syria. The exemption did not remove any sanctions, and entities seeking to engage with Syria have requested additional guarantees.