Syrian, Iraqi Electricity Linkage Agreement Discussed

Damascus, (ST) – The Minister of Electricity, Eng. Mohamed Zuhair Kharbotli, discussed with his Iraqi counterpart Qassem Mohammad Al-Fahdawi the completion of the electricity linkage agreement signed last month between Syria, Iraq and Iran and benefiting from industrial and human resources to participate in the reconstruction phase.

 During the meeting held at the Ministry of Electricity, Mr. Kharbotli stressed the importance of strengthening and developing relations between Syria and Iraq in the field of electrical projects. He pointed out that the goal of the meeting is to complete the procedures of implementing the electric link project between Syria and Iraq, which supports the electrical system between the two countries and contributes to solving the problem of electricity and stability.

For his part, Mr. al-Fahdawi said that the Iraqi Ministry of Electricity seeks to strengthen cooperation with Syria in the field of electricity exchange for the benefit of both sides pointing out that “Syria needs electricity to increase production and economic projects at a time when Iraq has a large electricity surplus may be reflected in the case of positive investment for the two countries.”

MR. Al-Fahdawi explained that the path was set for the project and the development of a program and a plan for follow-up implementation, pointing out that the Iraqi side will provide all the necessary support for implementation.

 Director General of the Electricity Transmission Corporation, Eng. Nassauh Sumsmieh said in a statement that the most important axes that were put forward is the re-link between the transfer stations Al Taimm in Syria and AL Qa’im in Iraq, which stopped during the past years because of the war, pointing out that all equipment and infrastructure are available and will be repaired and restored to take advantage as soon as possible of this linkage.

In a similar statement, Undersecretary of the Iraqi Ministry of Electricity Adel Al-Dulaimi stressed that the work is to complete what was started in the first stage in order to expand the base of cooperation and benefit from the human and industrial potential existing in Syria in the reconstruction of what was destroyed by terrorists in the electrical network.

Mr. Al-Dulaimi pointed out that the ministry has an ambitious joint plan to promote cooperation to the highest levels, including training, exchange of energies and information, increasing mutual energy and the involvement of Syrian companies in the development of infrastructure in the field of electricity, especially transmission lines, power plants and transfer stations and carrying out projects.

The Iraqi Minister of Electricity arrived in Damascus accompanied by a technical delegation to complete the project of electric interconnection between the two countries and set a timetable for the description, implementation and re-operation of high voltage lines 400 kV and 230 kV, which will transfer electricity between the two countries.

Sh. Kh.