Energy ministers from Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon reached an agreement at the conclusion of a meeting held in Amman on Wednesday to create a roadmap for supplying Lebanon, which is grappling with its worst economic crisis, with electricity via Syrian territory. Lebanon has been experiencing an unprecedented economic collapse for nearly two years, crippling its ability to import vital goods, particularly fuel. The shortage of fuel has affected various sectors, including electricity, hospitals, bakeries, telecommunications, and food supplies.
The Jordanian Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources stated in a press release that during the meeting of energy and electricity ministers from Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon, held at the ministry's headquarters in Amman, they agreed to provide part of Lebanon's electrical energy needs from Jordan through the Syrian electrical network.
It added that a work plan and a timeline for reactivating the electrical interconnection line between Jordan and Syria were presented, along with all necessary technical studies and agreements needed to implement the supply process.
Jordanian Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Hala Zawati told reporters that the meeting primarily aimed to establish a clear work plan and timetable for supplying Lebanon with electricity, following a technical meeting that included relevant stakeholders from the electricity transmission companies of the three countries, which took place the day before.
Zawati explained that the work plan focused on rehabilitating the infrastructure on the Syrian side and the readiness of the three parties regarding the necessary agreements for supplying electricity to Lebanon.
Syrian Electricity Minister Ghassan Al-Zamel stated, "We started since June to rehabilitate the electrical interconnection line that was destroyed by terrorist groups," clarifying that "the synchronous interconnection between the Syrian and Jordanian networks requires three months."
Meanwhile, Lebanese Energy Minister Walid Fayad confirmed, "Our next step in Lebanon focuses on the financial facilitation of the agreements through the World Bank." Zawati stated that in September, "the electricity line (inside Syria) suffered damage and needs months for repairs."
The Syrian newspaper "Al-Watan," close to the authorities, reported last month that Minister Al-Zamel estimated the cost of rehabilitating the destroyed part of the line at approximately 3.5 million dollars.
In an earlier meeting held in Amman on August 8, energy ministers from Jordan, Egypt, Syria, and Lebanon agreed on a roadmap to transport Egyptian gas overland to Lebanon and supply it with electricity from Jordan, which imports Egyptian gas for power generation.
On August 19, the Lebanese Presidency announced that it received approval from U.S. Ambassador Dorothy Shea to assist Lebanon in obtaining electric power and gas through Syria, effectively indicating Washington's approval to exempt Lebanon from sanctions prohibiting financial or commercial dealings with Syria.
