“We buy 900 megawatts of electricity daily from the Kurdistan Region,” Ahmed Musa, spokesperson for Iraq’s electricity ministry, told Rudaw, adding that the power is purchased from the private sector.
Musa said that the amount fluctuates but “on average we buy 900 megawatts daily” from the Kurdistan Region.
Iraq is currently facing power shortages as it is generating about 25 percent less electricity due to a decrease in gas imports from Iran and renovations of power stations ahead of the winter season.
On Wednesday, Musa told Rudaw that Iran’s decision to decrease its daily export of gas to Iraq is resulting in a loss of 2,200 megawatts of electricity production.
Iraq’s electricity grid has depended on gas imports from Iran for years. In July last year, the country lost nearly 5,000 megawatts of power when Iran halted exports to the southern regions and decreased them to Baghdad and central Iraq.
Musa also said that other internal factors combined with Iran’s decreased gas exports have led to a total loss of 7,000 megawatts from the grid, leaving Iraq’s power output at 19,000 megawatts.
Despite its large oil and gas reserves, Iraq suffers from chronic electricity shortages,
Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani has repeatedly said improving the energy sector is a priority of his cabinet and that Baghdad seeks to achieve self-sufficiency in its gas supply and end imports within the next five years.
In July 2023, Baghdad and TotalEnergies signed a $27 billion contract to develop Iraq’s oil, gas, and renewable energies sectors - a major step towards gas self-sufficiency.
Nahro Mohammed contributed to this report.
