Minister of Energy Joe Saddi expressed cautious optimism on Friday following the United States’ surprise decision to lift certain sanctions on Syria, suggesting the move could breathe new life into long-stalled regional energy projects vital to Lebanon’s power sector.
Speaking to the Markazia news agency, Saddi said the US initiative may finally remove key obstacles that have hindered progress on several major infrastructure developments, particularly those involving regional cooperation.
Among the potential impacts, he highlighted the possibility of reviving the electricity interconnection line that passes through Syria to link Lebanon with Jordan which represents an essential step toward increasing Lebanon’s electricity import capacity and easing the country’s chronic power shortages.
He also pointed to renewed prospects for routing natural gas through Syrian territory, which would support the construction of a new gas-fired power plant that the Lebanese government views as a strategic priority for improving energy generation.
In addition, Saddi noted that the easing of sanctions could facilitate the reactivation of the Iraqi oil pipeline and the relaunch of the Beddawi refinery in northern Lebanon.
He revealed that a feasibility study is already underway to explore rehabilitating the pipeline linking Iraq to Lebanon, an issue which was recently discussed by Minister of Finance Yassine Jaber during a visit to Baghdad.
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