Baghdad raises electricity production to 27,000 megawatts
Electricity transmission towers. Photo: AFP
Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – The Iraqi Ministry of Electricity revealed that it is raising electricity production by 3,000 megawatts compared to last summer to reach 27,000 megawatts.
The spokesperson for the Ministry of Electricity, Ahmed Musa, told the Iraqi News Agency (INA) that the Ministry has created an early plan for the summer that covers the production, transport, and distribution of electricity to fully maintain power plants.
Iraq heavily relies on gas imports from Iran but has recently invested in many projects to start taking advantage of flared gas and using renewable energy to generate electricity.
Gas imports from Iran are extremely important for Iraq to generate electricity. However, US sanctions imposed on Iran make it difficult for Baghdad to pay for the Iranian gas.
Iraq witnesses daily power outages that may last up to 10 hours, but things worsen during the scorching summer when the temperature exceeds 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit).
The Iraqi Minister of Electricity, Ziyad Ali Fadel, announced last week that an agreement had been signed with Siemens Energy to turn flared gas into fuel within six months.
Fadel confirmed that the agreement is part of the efforts of the Iraqi government to stop gas flaring and use it to generate electricity.
The step is a demonstration of the government’s dedication to the UNFCCC’s (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) resolutions, which aim to provide renewable energy sources and environmental preservation.
Siemens Energy will utilize 120 million cubic feet of flared gas within six months and an additional 120 million cubic feet in one year.
The produced gas will be used to fuel a 2000-megawatt power plant that will be constructed to enhance Iraq’s national electricity grid.