Iraq seeks 2-year solution to power crisis

MISSAN / IraqiNews.com: The Iraqi minister of electricity, Kareem Waheed, on Wednesday revealed plans by his ministry to resolve the country’s electricity problem within a matter of two years. “Several electricity generating projects will be implemented this summer and throughout 2010 and 2011,” the minister told IraqiNews.com news agency on the sidelines of a celebration held to lay the foundation stone for al-Kahlaa generating station in southern Amara city. “These projects will increase power production, thus solving the electricity crisis in all Iraqi provinces,” the minister added. Yesterday, Iraq’s production of electricity reached its top level of 6,000 megawatts, including 1,900 megawatts in Baghdad. Amara, the capital city of Missan province, lies 390 km south of Baghdad. Power supplies in Iraq have been sporadic since the second Gulf War when the US-led coalition destroyed the electricity infrastructure during operations to drive Saddam Hussein’s regime out of neighboring Kuwait. The shortages became even worse in the aftermath of the 2003 U.S.-led invasion because of insurgent sabotage, rising demand and fuel shortages. SS (S)/SR 1