Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Electricity supply to increase by the summer
Power generation
(Azzaman) The Minister of Electricity says Iraqis will see improvements in the supply of power in the summer. The pledge by Kareem Waheed is the latest in a series of broken promises to improve the country’s ailing national grid which has been worsening since the 2003 U.S. invasion. But Waheed said his ministry has signed contracts with both foreign and domestic firms to add more than 1,700 megawatts to the national grid.
He said he hoped that by the summer the national grid will have the capacity to produce about 6,000 megawatts. The volume, if achieved, will still fall short of the country’s needs now estimated at more than 12,000 megawatts. Currently supplies from the national grid are very erratic with the electricity off most of the day. Iraqis now rely on small generators which serve inhabitants of small districts in major towns. But even these generators are not working properly due to fuel shortages.
He said he hoped that by the summer the national grid will have the capacity to produce about 6,000 megawatts. The volume, if achieved, will still fall short of the country’s needs now estimated at more than 12,000 megawatts. Currently supplies from the national grid are very erratic with the electricity off most of the day. Iraqis now rely on small generators which serve inhabitants of small districts in major towns. But even these generators are not working properly due to fuel shortages.
Labels: electricity, Kareem Waheed, Minister of Electricity
