Iraq plunges into darkness: Electricity crisis threatens daily life and the national economy

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[size=52]Iraq plunges into darkness: Electricity crisis threatens daily life and the national economy[/size]

[size=45]For decades, Iraq has been experiencing a severe crisis in the electricity sector, which greatly affects the daily lives of citizens and the national economy.[/size]
[size=45]The crisis is caused by several factors, including deteriorating infrastructure, financial and administrative corruption, and repeated attacks on power transmission lines.[/size]
[size=45]Many cities and villages suffer from frequent and long power outages, forcing residents to rely on private generators at a high cost.[/size]
[size=45]The Iraqi government is trying to find sustainable solutions by investing in renewable energy and developing distribution networks, but security and economic challenges are hindering progress in this area.[/size]
[size=45]“Iraq’s electricity problems are multiple and complex, and have roots that go back decades,” says energy expert Amer Al-Zubaidi, noting that “many power plants and distribution networks are old and need maintenance or replacement, and the dilapidated infrastructure increases energy losses and leads to frequent outages.”[/size]
[size=45]He added, “The Iraqi government suffers from a lack of financial resources needed to invest in the electricity sector, and this shortage limits the government’s ability to build new stations or update existing networks,” explaining that “administrative corruption and mismanagement in the sector negatively affect efficiency and increase financial waste.”[/size]
[size=45]Al-Zubaidi explains that “the demand for electricity in Iraq is high, especially during the summer, due to the high temperatures, which puts additional pressure on the network,” noting that “the electricity production capacity in Iraq is still insufficient to meet demand, which leads to continuous service interruptions.”[/size]
[size=45]He explains that “the unstable security situation affects infrastructure projects, as stations and networks are exposed to attacks and sabotage.”[/size]
[size=45]To solve these problems, the energy expert explains several steps to take: “Resources must be invested in modernizing power plants and distribution networks, including the use of new technologies to improve efficiency and reduce losses,” calling for “combating corruption and improving management by enhancing transparency and accountability.”[/size]
[size=45]He added, "Renewable energy sources such as solar and wind energy must be invested in to reduce dependence on fossil fuels," noting "benefiting from international aid and foreign expertise in developing the electricity sector."[/size]
[size=45]He explained that “developing an effective collection system ensures that payment receipts are collected correctly and reduces financial waste,” stressing “educating citizens about the importance of rationalizing electricity consumption to help relieve pressure on the network.”[/size]
[size=45]Late last month, several Iraqi provinces witnessed demonstrations demanding the provision of basic services, including water and electricity. Hundreds demonstrated in Dhi Qar, Babylon, Diwaniyah and Baghdad to demand the provision of services, especially water and electricity.[/size]
[size=45]For his part, economic affairs expert, Dhurgham Muhammad Ali, says that “the electricity crisis that has been ongoing for more than two decades is due to the absence of strategic plans and the reliance on improvised and temporary solutions,” suggesting that “a ten- or five-year strategic plan be prepared and the transportation and distribution sectors be subjected to a comprehensive evaluation.”[/size]
[size=45]He added, “The reason for the continuation of the electricity crisis, especially in the summer, is due to three main problems, which are the failure to end the violations on the electricity grid and the existence of large energy losses, and these two problems are directly related to the transmission and distribution sector.”[/size]
[size=45]He explains that “all the solutions put forward by the ministry are temporary and improvised solutions that do not solve part of the problem, not the whole problem, so we suggest to the Ministry of Electricity a comprehensive re-evaluation of the transmission and distribution sector quickly, as well as setting a ten-year or five-year plan at least with the construction of specialized stations for each governorate, and the national grid lines remain in an emergency status in the event that any governorate is exposed to an emergency.”[/size]
[size=45]Iraq suffers from frequent power outages, especially with the rise in temperatures during the summer, due to the deterioration of the infrastructure of power stations.[/size]
[size=45]In addition, independent MP Kazem Al-Fayyadh explains that “Iraq has been suffering from an electricity crisis for many years, and despite spending billions of dollars, the crisis continues to worsen with the summer of every year.”[/size]
[size=45]He added, “The electricity crisis in Iraq is political, not technical, and there are internal and external parties behind this crisis, and therefore there is no hope of resolving this crisis in light of this political desire that has great financial benefits for those parties.”[/size]
[size=45]Experts believe that “the electricity crisis is simply linked to the lack of a control over the increasing annual consumption. While Iraq’s production is 25,000 megawatts, demand is more than 40,000 megawatts, which makes the ministry “unable” to keep up with the annual demand, which can only be controlled by imposing taxes correctly.”[/size]
[size=45]Iraq produces about 26 thousand megawatts of electricity, while the country's need is about 35 thousand megawatts to secure electrical energy around the clock, which is reflected in the inability to provide sufficient hours of electricity in the summer and winter, as consumption increases for cooling and heating purposes, which decrease for a few short intermittent hours.[/size]
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