Autonomous Administration finally starts subsidizing energy costs for households in the Gozarto

AMUDA, North and East Syria – The Democratic Autonomous Administration of the Region of North and East Syria has announced several measures to soften the heavy burden of energy costs for households in the Gozarto (Jazeera) Canton.  

The Autonomous Administration announced measures regarding (1) support for home generators as it will increase the operating hours of home generators via diesel subsidies and increase operating hours of home generators from 8 service hours to 16 hours per day. And (2), it will provide purchase support for ‘Amperes’ by supplying diesel fuel for service generators at a subsidized price of 125 Syrian pounds per liter (normal price 5,500 Syrian pounds per liter). 

The Gozarto Region’s Autonomous Administration will bear all the financial costs of the subsidy, oversee its implementation, and conduct inspections to make sure all suppliers comply with the new subsidy rules. If necessary, it will impose sanctions on non-complying electricity providers, it stated on its official Facebook page.  

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The decision was taken on Thursday in a joint meeting of the Autonomous Administration of the Gozarto Canton, the Union of Municipalities, and the Fuels Directorate. In its statement, the Autonomous Administration did not provide insight into any plans to improve the general electricity grid and supply in the Region as an alternative to expensive, noisy, and polluting diesel generators. Many of the generators have been (kept) in operation because the Region experienced several setbacks after Turkey and its militia proxies targeted, disabled or distroyed local energy facilities in the past few years.

The Administration stated that the new subsidies come “in response to the general power outage and rising temperatures.” In summer, air conditioners are on continuously to cool homes and buildings. Energy costs are estimated to make up at least twenty percent of a modal household’s income. 

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