​​​​​​DAMASCUS/ISTANBUL

Syria's electricity infrastructure has suffered $35 billion in damage during the nearly 14-year civil war, Electricity Minister Omar Shaqrouq said Wednesday.

Shaqrouq told reporters that a five-year plan has been prepared to repair and develop the grid and the ministry would need $39 billion to implement the plan until 2030.

Shaqrouq underlined that when the current government took office, it inherited a devastated power grid, which provided households with a maximum of two hours of electricity per day.

The government has since taken steps to improve the situation, he said.

“We are trying to increase electricity availability from two hours to eight hours per day. Right now, we cannot provide electricity around the clock because doing so would require 23 million cubic meters of gas and 5,000 tons of fuel daily,” he said.

Shaqrouq said electricity services could improve if Syria gains access to oil and natural gas reserves in the north, currently occupied by the PKK/YPG terror group.

He added that plans have been prepared to repair power lines nationwide, but theft is hindering restoration efforts.

Despite the challenges, he said the government has managed to restore some power lines and is planning to provide 24-hour electricity to industrial cities.

He also said Syria wants to generate 1,000 megawatts of electricity from solar and wind energy projects in its first year.

A report on new electricity tariffs has been submitted to the government, and ensuring fair distribution of electricity remains one of the ministry’s priorities, he said.

Bashar Assad, Syria’s leader for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia on Dec. 8, ending the Baath Party regime, which had been in power since 1963.