Iraq lost about 2 billion dinars in 18 months due to the fall of more than 70 energy towers

[size=52]Iraq lost about 2 billion dinars in 18 months due to the fall of more than 70 energy towers[/size]

[size=45]Baghdad / Tamim Al-Hassan[/size]
[size=45]More than 70 power towers fell in the last 18 months in armed attacks, the losses of which are estimated at about 2 billion dinars. During that period, unknown persons carried out about 15 attacks in 5 governorates, while the waste of energy had reached more than 6,000 megawatts. Iraq needs 27 thousand megawatts to provide electric power 24 hours a day, while importing 1200 megawatts of energy from Iran.[/size]
[size=45]Parliament accuses the government of “not being serious” in dealing with these incidents, and there is information about the involvement of “other than ISIS” parties in the attacks against electricity towers.[/size]
[size=45]The Prime Minister said last March that "there are sabotage attempts to blow up electric power transmission towers, and we were able to arrest a number of them."[/size]
[size=45]He indicated during the weekly session of his government that "this matter will not be tolerated as it affects Iraqi national security."[/size]
[size=45]According to the assumptions of political sources who spoke to (Al-Mada) that "large corruption mafias are behind these attacks to prevent the rebuilding of the electricity system in Iraq."[/size]
[size=45]A parliamentary investigative committee had announced earlier, spending 81 billion dollars on the electricity sector in Iraq since 2005.[/size]
[size=45]Those sources, who requested anonymity, indicate that these mafias are "working to supply electric generators to Iraq, and they are the most affected if the power system is repaired."[/size]
[size=45]According to some estimates, there are more than 150 thousand electricity generators in Iraq to feed residential neighborhoods and shops, with monthly profits exceeding 3 million dinars per generator.[/size]
[size=45]Attack costs[/size]
[size=45]According to the data of the Ministry of Electricity, 36 towers fell in 2020 in 14 attacks, which took place in the governorates of: Baghdad, Anbar, Diyala, Salah al-Din, and Anbar.[/size]
[size=45]During that period, the ministry announced the loss of 4,700 megawatts, the total losses that took place over the past year.[/size]
[size=45]As for the first half of 2021, the ministry announced in multiple data a loss of 1900 megawatts, as a result of the fall of 36 towers as well, in 7 attacks, which shows an increase in the size of the targets compared to last year.[/size]
[size=45]According to estimates of parliamentary sources about the costs of repairing the towers during the last year and a half, it amounts to one billion and 800 million dinars.[/size]
[size=45]Those sources estimated the repair rate for one tower at 25 million dinars, in addition to the costs of electricity and transportation lines.[/size]
[size=45]Those sources, who asked not to be named, indicate that the total time it takes to repair the towers that fell in the last 18 months is more than 70 days, with an average of one repair day for each tower.[/size]
[size=45]government solutions[/size]
[size=45]ISIS sometimes publishes videos or photos on its digital platforms, showing its exposure to energy towers.[/size]
[size=45]"These attacks are an embarrassment to the government and a message that the organization is still present," said Ali Mones, a member of the Parliament's Security Committee.[/size]
[size=45]The Parliament's Security Committee calls for security coordination between the Ministry of Electricity and the security ministries to confront what it called "the war of detonating energy transmission towers."[/size]
[size=45]The Ministry of Interior revealed new measures to protect power transmission lines, through the use of drones.[/size]
[size=45]The ministry's spokesman, Major General Khaled Al-Muhanna, said in a press statement, "There is an effort to use drones to protect electrical lines."[/size]
[size=45]He pointed out that there are "negotiations with Chinese companies in this regard, as well as the presence of international support for Iraq in this regard."[/size]
[size=45]He added, "A contract will be signed to bring in planes to protect the borders and protect power lines and oil products."[/size]
[size=45]Usually, the Ministry of Electricity secures the power towers through the security forces, but the expansion of the attacks forced the government to partner with the tribes to protect the towers.[/size]
[size=45]The Ministry of Electricity confirmed that it had asked the government to increase the number of forces to protect the towers, and had discussed the matter with tribal sheikhs and local officials in the areas where these attacks were taking place.[/size]
[size=45]The ministry's spokesman, Ahmed Moussa, said in a statement that "the ministry has taken a number of measures, including official correspondence with the ministries of defense and interior and appeals to the forces holding the land, to provide the necessary protection for the power transmission towers."[/size]
[size=45]Moussa pointed out that "the Minister of Electricity asked the Energy Protection Directorate to provide the necessary measures by linking thermal cameras to the paths of the energy lines."[/size]
[size=45]Agreement with the clans[/size]
[size=45]The ministry revealed that it "met with the notables of the clans and the mukhtars in the areas where there are towers, in addition to the departments affiliated with the governorates, districts and sub-districts, in order to urge them to protect the electricity lines, infrastructure and strategy."[/size]
[size=45]Officials in Anbar accused clans and some influential people of dropping the towers because of a “competition” for protection contracts. Meanwhile, Muhammad Al-Mansoori, a member of the Parliament's Energy Committee, criticized the people's employment in the task of protecting the towers.[/size]
[size=45]Al-Mansoori said, in connection with (Al-Mada), that "the protection of the towers needs the government's intervention and the increase of the responsible forces in those areas." A member of the Energy Committee accused the government of “not being serious” in dealing with these attacks, and of “weak procedures in controlling security.”[/size]
[size=45]But Al-Mansouri also called on the residents and clans close to those towers not to “mix the cards” and turn the problems from the government into targeting public interests.[/size]
[size=45]The deputy added that "some Iraqis, when they have a problem with an official or governor, go for revenge by sabotaging public facilities, including energy towers," noting that the saboteur would then be "an ISIS member, even if he did not belong to the organization."[/size]
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