Three power stations in Syria were taken offline on Wednesday after gas supplies were halted following an explosion on a gas pipeline between the al-Shoula area and the city of Deir ez-Zor in the east of the country. The incident caused a fire and halted pumping from the al-Jabsa gas plant to the power stations.
Gas pipeline explosion disrupts supplies to power stations
The Syrian Petroleum Company said the fire broke out on the evening of Monday 28 September, following an explosion at the sectional valve on the gas pipeline. The company attributed the explosion to what it described as an act of sabotage, without identifying those responsible. Hisham al-Saleh, the company’s gas sector manager, said the explosion halted the flow of gas from the al-Jabsa plant to the power stations.
He added that firefighting teams isolated the damaged section of the pipeline from both ends while reducing the gas pressure to bring the flames under control. The fire was extinguished on Tuesday evening, according to Ziad al-Haj Hussein, director of the al-Tabiya gas plant in Deir ez-Zor, who said company teams would begin maintenance and repair work after securing the site was completed.
Conflicting accounts over cause of explosion
The area between al-Shoula and Deir ez-Zor contains facilities and pipelines linked to gas production and transport. The al-Jabsa pipeline plays a role in supplying fuel to power stations, directly affecting the operation of three stations after pumping stopped. In a different account of the circumstances surrounding the explosion, a regional media outlet quoted a local oil official as saying the incident may have resulted from a failed attempt to steal gas.
Syrian authorities have not announced final investigation findings on the cause of the explosion. The pipeline disruption comes amid a gap between gas production and the needs of Syria’s electricity sector. According to figures attributed to Energy Minister Mohammed al-Bashir, domestic production is about 8.5 million cubic metres a day, while requirements range from 22 million to 25 million cubic metres.
The gas export pipeline from the al-Jabsa plant was previously hit by an explosion in August 2026. The Syrian Petroleum Company said initial investigations indicated that it was caused by an act of sabotage. The company returned the pipeline to service after carrying out repairs, saying its operation supported gas supplies allocated to power stations.
