Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Saboteurs mount more attacks on national grid
Security
(Azzaman) - The country’s power generating systems have come under fresh attacks putting more stations and units out of order. The attacks come as the national grid is passing through its worst period since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion.
Despite allocations of hundreds of millions of dollars the grid has been deteriorating and currently the power generating capacity is less than the nearly 4500 megawatts it produced in the months leading to the overthrow of former leader Saddam Hussein.
The generating capacity is now less than half the country’s needs. As a result major cities like Baghdad and Mosul may go without electricity for several days in a row. An Electricity Ministry source said saboteurs last week blew up power pylons disrupting supplies from six generating units servicing the capital Baghdad.
High voltage lines linking the Doura power plant with feeder stations in Baghdad were also attacked. Doura is a major plant built specifically to serve Baghdad. The source said the ministry’s has asked the armed forces and security personnel to accompany its repair teams trying to redress the damage.
Despite allocations of hundreds of millions of dollars the grid has been deteriorating and currently the power generating capacity is less than the nearly 4500 megawatts it produced in the months leading to the overthrow of former leader Saddam Hussein.
The generating capacity is now less than half the country’s needs. As a result major cities like Baghdad and Mosul may go without electricity for several days in a row. An Electricity Ministry source said saboteurs last week blew up power pylons disrupting supplies from six generating units servicing the capital Baghdad.
High voltage lines linking the Doura power plant with feeder stations in Baghdad were also attacked. Doura is a major plant built specifically to serve Baghdad. The source said the ministry’s has asked the armed forces and security personnel to accompany its repair teams trying to redress the damage.
Labels: Doura power plant, electricity, Iraq, national grid
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Attacks on national grid plunge Baghdad into darkness
Security
(Azzaman) - Attacks targeting the national grid have plunged most of Baghdad into total darkness, the Ministry of Electricity said. In a statement, the ministry said attacks of sabotage have intensified recently on pylons and transformers as well as power stations. “The ministry is subjected these days to ferocious terrorist attacks,” the statement said.
It said high voltage pylons linking power stations to cities were being blown up and the ministry’s technicians could hardly cope to repair damage. Four pylons linking al-Radhwaniya power plant to densely populated Baghdad neighborhoods were destroyed in one day, the ministry said.
On average, outages may continue for up to 20 hours a day in Baghdad but the latest attacks have reduced national grid supplies to the city to a trickle. Iraq still produces less electricity than before the U.S. invasion of 2003 despite allocations totaling hundreds of millions of dollars.
It said high voltage pylons linking power stations to cities were being blown up and the ministry’s technicians could hardly cope to repair damage. Four pylons linking al-Radhwaniya power plant to densely populated Baghdad neighborhoods were destroyed in one day, the ministry said.
On average, outages may continue for up to 20 hours a day in Baghdad but the latest attacks have reduced national grid supplies to the city to a trickle. Iraq still produces less electricity than before the U.S. invasion of 2003 despite allocations totaling hundreds of millions of dollars.
Labels: al-Radhwaniya power plant, Baghdad, electricity, Ministry of Electricity, national grid
