Iranian gas decline threatens dark summer in Iraq

Shafaq News

5 hours ago

Shafaq News/ Iraq faces a growing risk of nationwide electricity shortages as Iranian gas supplies plunge, after Israeli strikes targeted Iran's energy infrastructure, a lawmaker warned on Monday.
Diaa Hindi al-Husnawi, MP for Karbala, reported that falling gas imports are already reducing power supply across central provinces and pressed the government to activate emergency measures. 'People don't care about geopolitical tensions—they need electricity to survive the heat,' he told Shafaq News, calling the outages intolerable.
Iraq depends on Iranian gas for nearly one-third of its electricity generation, importing up to 45 million cubic meters per day. These volumes are vital during the summer, when national demand often exceeds 32,000 megawatts, and a prolonged disruption could cut output by as much as 8,000 megawatts—triggering widespread blackouts, according to analysts.
The conflict, which escalated on June 13, has seen Israel target multiple Iranian energy assets, including pipelines, refineries, and transmission infrastructure. With Tehran's capacity under strain, its ability to sustain exports has been severely reduced, leaving Iraq's energy system exposed.
Al-Husnawi faulted the Ministry of Electricity for failing to implement contingency plans despite repeated warnings, highlighting that long-promised alternatives—such as grid integration with the Gulf, Jordan, and Turkiye, as well as solar and gas capture projects—remain largely unfulfilled.
'The solutions exist, but delays have rendered them meaningless in crisis,' he said, urging decisive, depoliticized action. 'This is no longer just a technical issue—it reflects systemic dysfunction and political inertia.'
Iraq's power grid also suffers from chronic inefficiencies, including technical losses exceeding 30% and a lack of strategic gas reserves. Experts warn that without urgent reforms and diversification, the country will remain vulnerable to external supply shocks.