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Protests hit northeast Syria as authorities announce two-week power cut amid sweltering heatwave

Protests hit northeast Syria as authorities announce two-week power cut amid sweltering heatwave
Civilians blocked off a section of the M4 highway in response after local authorities said power would be cut for two weeks as northeast Syria swelters in a hot summer.
2 min read
14 July, 2022
The two-week power cut will allow for 'necessary maintenance', northeast Syrian authorities said [Mohammad Alhamwi via Getty]

Syrian protesters blocked a main road in the country'sÌýÌýafter the region's Kurdish-led authorities announced they will cutÌý for a fortnight to carry out maintenance at a gas station, according to reports Thursday.

The energy office for the Kurdish-led administration's Jazira region Wednesday there would be a power cut for all but "vital service facilities" starting that evening for 15 days, where temperatures are currently in the mid to low-40s.

The cut will allow for "necessary maintenance" to theÌýSuwaidiyah Gas Processing Plant, which refines gas needed to produce electricity.

In response to the decision to cut off power as northeast Syria swelters in a hot summer, civilians blocked a section of the M4 highway between Al-Yaroubiah and Hasakah,Ìý°®Âþµº's Arabic-language sister site Al-Araby Al-Jadeed .

Analysis
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Northeast Syria suffers from a chronic electricity shortage, with homes in the area typically receiving just four to six hours of grid power a day.

Hasakah province relies on two main sources for electricity -ÌýtheÌýSuwaidiyah plant, and a lineÌýfrom the Euphrates Dam.

Energy supplies from the dam line are unstable, with Euphrates River water levels too low for electricity production because ofÌýa of low rainfall,ÌýTurkey’s water-retention policies further upriver, and massive pumping of groundwater.Ìý

Kurdish-led authorities in northeast Syria are already on edge asÌýTurkey has in recent weeks threatened to to take yet more of the territory they control.

The threats have sparked condemnation from allies of the Kurdish-led authorities, including senior US officials.

It comes amid a continued threat of violence from Islamic State group insurgents.

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