Iraq – Iraq announced, yesterday, Friday, the inauguration of an electrical interconnection line with Jordan to supply the border area, as part of Baghdad’s efforts to diversify energy sources and reduce chronic power outages.
Iraq has long relied on importing gas and electricity from Iran. After its ability to produce electricity was greatly damaged over the years of wars and unrest,
A statement by the Iraqi Minister of Electricity, Ziyad Ali Fadel, said: “The depth of the electrical connection line is 330 km within Iraqi territory,” and it will officially begin operation on Saturday.
The minister added: “The amount of energy transmitted through the supply line in the first phase will be approximately 40 megawatts,” and pointed out that the line will supply “Rutba District with electrical energy following 10 years of suffering during which the population did not enjoy national electricity.”
According to the minister, more energy will be imported from the Jordanian side to reach 150 megawatts following the completion of the line up to the Al-Qaim station, to reach 500 megawatts in the future to feed large parts of Anbar Governorate, west of the capital, Baghdad.
Despite its large oil reserves, Iraq suffers from electrical energy rationing that sometimes reaches ten hours a day.
The United States is putting Iraq’s imports from Iran under its microscope, to ensure that they are not violating the US sanctions imposed on Tehran, which in turn regularly cuts off supplies due to non-payment.
Power outages are more severe in the summer, as temperatures regularly reach 50 degrees Celsius and the demand for cooling and air conditioning increases.
Source: AFP
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2024-04-01 05:04:51
