Specialists call for using potential alternatives to Iranian gas to solve the electricity crisis

[size=52]Specialists call for using potential alternatives to Iranian gas to solve the electricity crisis[/size]

[size=45]Baghdad / Hussein Hatem[/size]
[size=45]The electricity crisis returned to the fore at a sensitive time in which temperatures reached below zero degrees Celsius in most of the Iraqi governorates, as the Ministry of Electricity confirmed that the extinguishing of the Iranian lines carrying electric power caused Iraq to lose 1,100 megawatts.[/size]
[size=45]For years, Iraq has relied on Iran alone to import 1,200 megawatts of electricity, as well as gas to feed local electric power stations.[/size]
[size=45]While specialists in economic affairs believe that it is possible to rehabilitate many of the installed stations to be a temporary alternative to Iranian gas, calling at the same time to invest associated gas and not to burn it without benefit.[/size]
[size=45]Iraq produces 19-21 thousand megawatts of electric power, while the actual need exceeds 30 thousand megawatts.[/size]
[size=45]A spokesman for the Ministry of Electricity, Ahmed Al-Abadi, said that "a halt occurred in four Iranian supply lines supplying Iraq with (1,100) megawatts of energy, and the national gas supply was also reduced by 50% due to bad weather, which led to a decline in the supply of energy hours."[/size]
[size=45]Al-Abadi pointed out, "Iranian gas supplies also decreased from 50 million cubic meters per day to only 8.5 million, and these combined repercussions caused load limitation and the suspension of many obstetric units in production plants, which negatively affected the processing hours."[/size]
[size=45]He added, "Iran justified the reason for the suspension of its supply lines by delaying the payment of due financial dues," noting that "Iran is going through a peak season and needs more energy, and there are no alternatives."[/size]
[size=45]A spokesman for the Ministry of Electricity called on the Ministry of Finance to “pay the debts owed by Iraq due to the import of Iranian gas, because the matter greatly affected and reduced the processing hours for the citizens.”[/size]
[size=45]He pointed out that "the Iraqi government proceeded to overcome problems and failures, which require time ceilings to solve them all, and signed contracts to provide alternative energy through solar energy, and this needs time."[/size]
[size=45]Al-Abadi indicated that "Iraq not only has gas-powered stations, but there are also steam and thermal stations, and now the preparation of the southern governorates is stable, and the crisis is currently in the central and middle Euphrates governorates."[/size]
[size=45]He went on to say that "the Ministry of Oil has prepared a fuel plan to equip the Ministry of Electricity, and work has been done to rehabilitate gas fields that also need, and the ministry says that it will enter service in the years 2024-2025 because it is still under work and has not been completed."[/size]
[size=45]A spokesman for the Ministry of Electricity explained that "the problem is currently the lack of sufficient quantities of gas, and there is a need to import and not invest in the gas sector to secure the local need because of the previous governments."[/size]
[size=45]He pointed out that "the governorates of Baghdad, Diyala, Kirkuk and the Middle Euphrates governorates are the most affected by the crisis that occurred because the lack of gas flows affected the Basmaya, Al-Mansuriyah, Al-Sadr gas stations, Al-Quds, Al-Haydaria and Al-Khairat. . In turn, a member of the Iraqi Council of Experts, Diaa Al-Mohsen, called for merging the Ministries of Electricity and Oil into one "Ministry of Energy", to increase coordination between the two nearby specializations, and not to blame the other for failure and reluctance.[/size]
[size=45]Al-Mohsen holds the successive governments "responsible for not finding alternatives to Iranian gas," noting that "there are many installed stations that can be rehabilitated to be an alternative as a temporary solution to provide energy in order to work on completing a permanent alternative."[/size]
[size=45]The economic affairs specialist believes that "there is no good Iraqi negotiator who negotiates with the Iranian side in all files, not just electricity."[/size]
[size=45]Al-Mohsen wonders, “at the burning of large quantities of associated gas and not investing it despite its importance in generating electric power.”[/size]
[size=45]The Minister of Oil, Ihsan Abdul-Jabbar, had announced the ministry’s endeavor to “optimum investment in gas wealth, and to convert gas that is burned into useful energy that supplies electric power stations with good quantities of fuel, as well as increasing production of liquid gas and other products.”[/size]
[size=45][You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]