Expert: Iraq's power crisis to worsen this summer

Shafaq News

16-03-2025

Shafaq News/ Iraq is unlikely to see a significant improvement in its electricity supply this summer, despite government assurances, as key energy projects remain years from completion, economic expert Nabil Al-Marsoumi warned on Sunday.
In a Facebook post, Al-Marsoumi stated that "the current production of domestic gas cannot replace Iranian imports at this stage, as achieving self-sufficiency requires several years of development and investment." He also noted that "solar energy projects expected to contribute to power generation will not be completed for at least three years, even under the best circumstances."
As summer demand surges, Iraq is exploring alternative power sources, but major projects face delays. Al-Marsoumi explained that "renting and installing a floating power platform in Khor Al-Zubair will take no less than a year, while constructing fixed platforms in Al-Faw Port would require more than two years."
Regional grid connections also offer no immediate relief, according to Al-Marsoumi, who explained that the planned Saudi electricity linkage requires three years, the 500-megawatt supply from Kuwait is unlikely before 2026, and plans to double Turkish electricity imports to 600 megawatts remain uncertain, pending European Union approval.
To bolster supply, Iraqi Electricity Minister Ziyad Ali Fadel met with Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar in Baghdad alongside Turkish Ambassador Anil Bora Inan, confirming Iraq's readiness to expand powerimports from Turkiye. He also proposed establishing a joint high-level technical committee to monitor the implementation of energy agreements.
Adding to the strain, the Trump administration revoked Iraq's waiver to pay Iran for electricity imports, as part of its "maximum pressure" policy on Tehran. In response, Iran's Foreign Minister recently pledged support for Iraq against what he described as "illegal measures" by the US that block Baghdad from continuing energy purchases from Tehran.
Iraq has long depended on Iranian electricity and gas imports, particularly in peak summer months, with transactions historically relying on US waivers renewed multiple times each year.
Baghdad signed an agreement to diversify supply in October 2024 with Turkmenistan to import 20 million cubic meters of gas per day via Iran's pipeline network under a swap arrangement, but technical issues have delayed implementation, according to the Ministry of Electricity.