Iraq confirms complete halt of Iranian gas supplies from the south
In light of the escalating challenges facing Iraq’s electricity sector, stakeholders are intensifying their efforts to ensure the continuity of energy supply, especially with the decline in the supply of Iranian gas, which is one of the main sources of power for generating plants.
Iraqi Electricity Ministry spokesman Ahmed Moussa said the ministry is working hard to compensate for the fuel shortage through local alternatives, with the aim of operating the plants that have been directly affected by the drop in gas imports.
He explained that Iranian supplies are still completely halted from the southern region, while they reach the central region in limited quantities not exceeding 5 million cubic meters.
Moussa pointed out that the continuous coordination with the Ministry of Oil contributed to the provision of quantities of alternative fuels, which allowed the operation of a number of production units, albeit to varying degrees from one governorate to another, depending on the extent of the stations’ impact on the gas shortage.
He pointed out that the ministry is currently focusing on operating strategic plants, or parts of them, in vital areas such as the capital Baghdad and Diyala province, depending on the available resources, in order to reduce the hours of outage and achieve relative stability in the energy supply.
In a related context, Moussa pointed out that the decline in oil production and exports has negatively reflected on the national gas production, which has decreased significantly, which has increased the pressure on the electricity system.
However, recent mild temperatures have eased loads, giving the sector a chance to contain part of the crisis.
He expressed his hope for the resumption of gas flow and the increase in local production in the coming period, especially after the success of the Ministry of Oil in resuming oil exports through land ports and basins, which may support the stability of supplies.
Moussa stressed that the infrastructure of the production and transport sectors is almost ready to face the peak of summer demand, while efforts are continuing to complete the plan to develop distribution networks.
He also pointed out that work continues on the construction of a gas platform at the port of Khor al Zubair, which is expected to contribute to providing part of the fuel needs before the arrival of the summer, in addition to electrical interconnection projects with neighboring countries that are expected to enter service in the same period.
The moves come as Iraq seeks to avert a severe electricity crisis during the summer months, which typically see a spike in energy demand, amid challenges related to securing fuel sources and sustaining supplies.
