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The Syrian Electricity Company announced that the Deir Ali, Nasiriyah and Tishreen power plants were taken out of service after an explosion on a gas pipeline at the Tishreen Thermal Power Plant disrupted essential fuel supplies. According to the company, the blast in the Eastern Ghouta area southeast of Damascus sparked a fire that was still burning as specialized teams worked to contain it and assess damage. The incident, which occurred near the town of al-Otaibah, has temporarily cut electricity generation and will increase scheduled power rationing hours due to the shortfall in available capacity.
A source at the Syrian Electricity Company told dpa that the three plants had been supplying around 60 megawatts to the national grid before the disruption, with technical crews now focusing on cooling operations, maintenance and restoring gas flows. Local residents in eastern Ghouta reported hearing a loud explosion followed by flames, though no casualties occurred and authorities closed a nearby road as a precaution. The company stated it would release further updates on the plants’ status and overall electricity supply as information becomes available.
Syria’s power generation has improved markedly in recent months, with Energy Minister Mohammad al-Bashir reporting to the People’s Assembly in September that output had climbed to 3,500 megawatts from 915 megawatts upon the government’s entry into Damascus, providing 18 to 20 hours of electricity daily in most provinces. The minister outlined plans for additional gas-fired stations and grid upgrades, noting that demand could double by 2030 while highlighting rehabilitation of 8 percent of the transmission network including links to Jordan and Türkiye. Despite these gains, the system continues to suffer from aging infrastructure, high losses and unauthorized connections that limit reliable service.
This latest event marks the third gas pipeline incident in six weeks, following two earlier explosions that the Syrian Petroleum Company attributed to sabotage and which also affected supplies to power stations. No group has claimed responsibility for any of the blasts, which have compounded concerns over energy infrastructure vulnerabilities at a time when the country is seeking to stabilize its electricity sector. The Syrian Electricity Company had previously indicated that such disruptions force adjustments in rationing schedules while repair teams prioritize restoration.
Broader challenges in Syria’s electricity sector stem from conflict-related damage that reduced operational capacity to roughly 3.5 gigawatts against an installed potential that once exceeded 8 gigawatts before 2011, according to analyses by the European University Institute and Syrian energy trackers. The Ministry of Electricity has set a target of 12 gigawatts by 2030, with growing interest in solar expansion given abundant sunshine, yet current output meets only about half of estimated demand near 6.5 gigawatts. Recent fuel price increases of up to 40 percent for diesel and 28 percent for petrol, justified by global cost rises, have triggered protests and added to household pressures amid ongoing outages.
Specialized emergency teams have begun isolating the affected pipeline section and preparing for repairs, the Syrian Electricity Company added, while emphasizing that the outage remains temporary pending completion of safety checks and resumption of gas deliveries. The developments follow a pattern of infrastructure incidents that have repeatedly strained the grid, prompting calls for enhanced security measures around key energy sites. Officials have not provided a timeline for full restoration but committed to minimizing the impact on consumers through alternative supply arrangements where possible.
