Syria signed a $7 billion energy deal today with a consortium of companies from the US, Qatar and Turkey to rehabilitate its war-torn electricity sector.
The signing took place at the presidential palace in Damascus, in the presence of interim President Ahmad al-Shara and US special envoy for Syria Thomas Barak.
The agreement envisages the construction of four gas-fired power plants in the centre and east of the country, as well as a 1.000-megawatt solar farm in the south.
According to Syrian authorities, the project is planned to produce 5.000 megawatts, which would cover approximately 50 percent of the country's electricity needs.
It is a "historic moment and a turning point" for Syria's infrastructure, devastated after almost 14 years of war, said Syrian Energy Minister Mohamed al-Bashir.
Bashir said the power plants will use American and European technologies.
The consortium is led by the Qatari company UCC Concession Investments, and includes the Turkish companies Kalyon GES Enerji Yatirimlari and Cengiz Enerji, as well as Power International USA.
In Syria, power outages are chronic and last up to 20 hours a day.
Bonus video:
