How the Increase in Electricity Supply Hours Affected the Lives of Syrians in Damascus and Its Countryside?

Sada News - Residents of the capital, Damascus, and its countryside have noticed a significant improvement in the electricity supply program following the announcement by Syrian Energy Minister Mohammad al-Bashir about increasing the electricity supply hours to 8 hours daily instead of 4 across all provinces, according to a ministerial plan aimed at improving distribution and enhancing service efficiency.

The minister stated in a statement to the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) last Monday that this decision came in light of the arrival of quantities of Azerbaijani gas through Turkish territory to power generation stations, which contributed to increasing the amount of electricity produced and enhancing the operational capacity of several stations that had been halted or partially operational in the past period. He confirmed that the ministry continues its efforts in coordination with the relevant authorities to ensure the stability of the electricity situation and achieve further improvements, urging citizens to "rationalize electricity consumption and contribute to supporting the stability of the network."

This increase comes after years of suffering for Syrians from a decline in electricity supply to unprecedented levels, where some areas of Damascus and its countryside experienced long outages reaching up to 22 hours daily, negatively impacting the lives of residents and forcing them to seek costly alternatives.

Impact on Professions

The recent increase in electricity supply hours has made a tangible difference for craftsmen and professionals who rely directly on electricity, such as tailors, dyers, barbers, small bakery owners, and workers in finishing workshops.

All of them found the additional hours a relief to complete their work at a lower cost and faster time compared to relying almost entirely on generators.

Oss Mador (42 years old), owner of a laundry in the Qaimariya neighborhood of Damascus, says that his work primarily depends on electricity to operate washing machines, irons, and dryers. He adds: "One hour of supply is not enough for a full washing cycle, which forced me to rely on the generator or delay my customers." He explains that the small generator was unable to operate the large washing machines, which led him to wake up early to benefit from a night supply hour.

Oss points out that the costs of the generator forced him to raise his service prices and lose some customers, "But now I will lower prices after the increase in supply hours, as I no longer have to rely heavily on the generator." However, he believes that "two hours of supply every six hours are still insufficient, especially during wedding seasons," hoping that the supply will reach 12 or 16 hours daily.

As for Rana al-Naem (27 years old), owner of a women's hair salon in Jaramana, Damascus countryside, she confirms that her work was almost entirely dependent on the generator: "One hour of supply barely suffices to complete a hairstyle, and it often includes interruptions that damage electrical equipment." She says that the recent improvement has given her "financial and psychological relief" after costs decreased, noting that any additional minute of electricity "makes a difference" in her profession.

Impact on Families

The increase has also reflected on the lives of families and housewives in Damascus and its countryside. Fatima al-Namour, a housewife from the Douila neighborhood, says she can now accomplish more than one task during the supply hours, such as washing, cooking, and operating the electric heater, after previously having to choose between them.

She adds, "The washing machine can now complete a full cycle without me waiting a whole day, and I can use the electric oven and iron clothes, which was almost impossible before."

As for Abeer al-Idlabi, from the Mezze neighborhood in Damascus, she explains that she has become able to organize her daily tasks according to the new schedule: "Two hours of supply are enough to fill the water tank, complete a washing load, cool the house with the air conditioner, and even store food in the fridge has become reasonable now."

History of the Crisis

Syria has been suffering from a severe electricity crisis for more than a decade, as most power generation stations and transmission lines have been damaged due to the war, and local gas production has significantly declined. Fuel imports have dropped from about 15,000 tons in 2011 to around 1,200 tons in 2024.

This sharp decline in resources, along with the collapse of infrastructure, has led to a reduction in supply hours in most areas to two or four hours daily at best, which has directly impacted the living conditions of Syrians, forcing them to rely heavily on private generators, batteries, and candles.

Other Crisis Services

Despite the partial relief in the electricity situation, residents of Damascus and its countryside still suffer from a severe water crisis due to the deterioration of infrastructure caused by years of war, decreased rainfall, and increased demand after the return of displaced persons. The capital and its countryside rely on the Fijeh spring as the main source of water, but its levels are experiencing a sharp decline, leading to long outages and forcing residents to buy water from private tankers at high prices.

The situation of internet service is no different from other services, as recent estimates indicate that the speed of fixed internet in Syria does not exceed 4.6 megabits per second, while the average speed of mobile internet does not exceed 12 megabits, placing the country at the bottom of the global ranking.

The recent increase in electricity hours has given Syrians a glimmer of hope and positively impacted the details of their daily lives, from professionals to families and housewives. However, the question remains: will this increase be temporary, linked to the imports of Azerbaijani gas, or the beginning of a sustainable transformation that restores confidence in the energy sector in Syria?

Source: Al Jazeera