11-05-2025
Power play: Baghdad official accuses cabal of controlling electricity
Shafaq News/ Entrenched 'suspicious networks' are manipulating electricity distribution in residential districts, Baghdad Provincial Council member Ola al-Tamimi revealed on Sunday.
In a statement, al-Tamimi claimed that a coordinated group, including district administrators, neighborhood mukhtars (community leaders), and certain security personnel, has seized influence over electricity control units, enabling them to selectively cut or restore power across residential areas.
'Despite the widespread presence of generators, some of whom operate government-supplied units, national electricity remains scarce,' she noted.
Al-Tamimi warned that the power crisis was foreseeable, stating she had previously cautioned that this year would bring 'disastrous' conditions due to mismanagement and inconsistent planning by the Ministry of Electricity.
The official also criticized generator operators for disregarding official pricing regulations, often justifying inflated fees by citing high diesel (kerosene) costs and irregular supply.
Notably, Baghdad province had earlier set a standardized fee of 10,000 Iraqi dinars per ampere (roughly $7.65) for round-the-clock 'golden' access to generator power.
