---
title: "Syria to receive electricity-generating ships from Qatar and Turkey"
description: "DUBAI, Jan 7 (Reuters) - Syria will receive two electricity-generating ships from Turkey and Qatar to boost energy supplies hit by damage to infrastructure during President Bashar al-Assad's rule, state news agency SANA quoted an official as saying on Tuesday."
type: "NewsArticle"
publisher: "Daily Maverick"
site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za"
section: "Power"
author: "Reuters"
author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/reuters/"
canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-01-07-syria-to-receive-electricity-generating-ships-from-qatar-and-turkey/"
published: "2025-01-07T12:27:02"
updated: "2025-01-07T12:27:22"
lang: "en-ZA"
word_count: 190
---

# Syria to receive electricity-generating ships from Qatar and Turkey

> DUBAI, Jan 7 (Reuters) - Syria will receive two electricity-generating ships from Turkey and Qatar to boost energy supplies hit by damage to infrastructure during President Bashar al-Assad's rule, state news agency SANA quoted an official as saying on Tuesday.

By Reuters · Published 7 January 2025, 14:27 SAST · Updated 7 January 2025, 14:27 SAST

## Key points
- In a bid to illuminate the dark corners of Syria, the government is banking on two mysterious ships promising 800 megawatts of electricity, while the U.S. dangles a six-month sanctions exemption like a carrot on a stick for humanitarian aid—because who doesn’t love a good power struggle?
- Syria to receive two ships providing 800 megawatts of electricity, timeline unspecified.
- Extensive damage to electrical infrastructure during the previous regime hampers rehabilitation efforts.
- U.S. sanctions exemption allows energy transactions in Syria for six months post-Assad rule.
- Current power shortages leave most areas with only two to three hours of electricity daily; government aims for eight hours within two months.

## Content

Khaled Abu Dai, director general of the General Establishment for Electricity Transmission and Distribution, told SANA the ships would provide a total of 800 megawatts of electricity but did not say over what period.

"The extent of damage to the generation and transformation stations and electrical connection lines during the period of the former regime is very large, we are seeking to rehabilitate (them) in order to transmit energy", Abu Dai said.

He did not say when Syria would receive the two ships.

[The United States](https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?search=all%3AL1N3O206T&linkedFromStory=true) on Monday issued a sanctions exemption for transactions with governing institutions in Syria for six months after the end of Assad's rule to try to increase the flow of humanitarian assistance.

The exemption allows some energy transactions and personal remittances to Syria until July 7. The action did not remove any sanctions.

Syria suffers from severe power shortages, with state-supplied electricity available just two or three hours a day in most areas. The caretaker government says it aims within two months to provide electricity up to eight hours a day.

(Reporting by Jana Choukeir and Tala Ramadan; Editing by Alison Williams and Timothy Heritage)