Turkish electricity arrives in idleb

Introduction

Following considerable infrastructural development throughout the governorate, households and businesses in Idleb now have access to reliable electricity for the first time in six years. In March 2020 it was announced that areas falling under the governance of the Syrian Salvation Government (SSG) would be supplied with electricity from Turkey. Since then, a private Turkish company, originally in partnership with the SSG-affiliated Public Electricity Corporation, has been fixing power lines and rehabilitating power stations, which are now ready to provide domestic and commercial energy to Idleb city and its surrounding areas.

Electricity provision in the northwest has been extremely limited under the control of armed opposition groups. Since 2015, and the Syrian government’s loss of the governorate to armed opposition, there have been a number of military and administrative powers vying for control, while poverty and conflict has left minimal opportunity for infrastructural development. The Syrian government, upon defeat, cut off electricity provision into Idleb, leaving citizens to rely on sporadic provision from small-scale providers, and expensive (and rationed) generators. Citizens able to afford set-up costs have largely turned to solar power for domestic use, which is now common throughout the region.

Turkey, which has de facto control over the neighboring governorates of Aleppo and border areas further east, has been slowly making inroads into the armed opposition territories of Idleb and western Aleppo. The Turkish military has contained the primary military force of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and its political representation, the SSG, while maintaining a ceasefire (the 5 March ceasefire, preceded by a demilitarized zone agreement) with Russia, and by extension the Syrian government, to prevent further armed conflict.

The relative stability as a result of the continued ceasefire, and HTS’ defeat of other armed groups challenging for power, has meant Turkey and Turkish companies are able to step in, providing first services – allowing the Public Monetary Authority in the northwest to distribute Turkish lira when the Syrian pound was depreciating – and now essential infrastructure. This confirms a number of slow-moving developments in the region; the further entrenchment of Turkish power in northwest Syria; the continuing commitment by HTS and the SSG to gaining legitimacy, and; a lack of ability by the Syrian government to prevent these developments.

In humanitarian terms, the provision of Turkish electricity into Idleb is largely a positive step. Direct impacts include the improvements to quality of life which come with electricity provision (including using time-saving appliances, and health improvements through having access to clean lighting), and economic development throughout the region is more likely with constant supply of clean energy. However, costs of the electricity could be prohibitive for much of the populations, with up to 80% living in poverty.

For the large number of IDPs living in camps, exclusion from official delivery plans means they are unlikely to benefit in the short term. For humanitarian actors, the situation is more complicated – most are unable to sign contracts with SSG-affiliated energy providers (which could include the current Syrian provider, Green Energy), while further Turkish integration in the long term could mean changes to registration rules and partnership requirements.