In another sign of economic change in Syria, the country’s authorities have decided that new power generation projects will be established on a build-operate-transfer (BOT) basis, reported Gulf News./I> This is in stark contrast to previous policy, when state control of strategic sectors such as electricity was considered essential.
Nonetheless, the new policy will not affect existing power plants, but rather new independent power projects (IPPs), said Zaki Odeh, general director of the state-owned Public Establishment of Electricity for the Generation and Transmission (PEEGT).
Syria has invested very heavily in its power sector in recent years in a determined drive to overcome power shortages, which in the early 1990s forced widespread power cuts. Between 1993 and 1996, $1.8 billion was invested in the sector, raising installed generation capacity rose to 6,133 MW in 1999. In 1991 there were only 167 km of 400kV cables. By 1999 this had risen to 478 km. In the same period the length of the 230 kV system increased from 3,454 km to 4,333 km.
The power projects implemented in the 1990s were largely funded by foreign aid, especially from the Gulf states and from Japan. – (Albawaba-MEBG)
