Damascus, SANA – The Balance and Accounts Committee at the People’s Assembly on Monday discussed the 2017 budget for the Electricity Ministry and its affiliated establishments, which is set at SYP 44.7 billion.

Discussions focused on the Ministry’s efforts to reduce power rationing hours and projects for sustainable and alternative energy sources, lauding the Ministry’s efforts to provide electricity despite the currency circumstances.

During the meeting, Electricity Minister Mohammad Zuhair Kharboutli reviewed the state of the electric power sector during the past four months, noting that the increase in rationing hours is due to the embargo on Syria which hindered the arrival of fuel tankers to Syrian ports, asserting that fuel has been procured and will be arriving soon, which will reduce rationing hours to the minimal limit.

Kharboutli said the Ministry is facing great challenges, with the total losses of the electricity sector amounting to SYP 833 billion due to the war on Syria and terrorist attacks on power stations, which put around 50% of them out of commission, adding that nearly 500 workers in the electricity sector have been martyred by terrorist attacks.

The Minister also called on investors to invest in alternative energy projects such as solar power, affirming the Ministry’s readiness to provide all possible facilitations in this regard.

Hazem Sabbagh