Iraq’s central government which suffers severe electricity shortages will import electricity from Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) in northern Iraq, according to Omed Ahmed, spokesman for the KRG’s ministry of electricity.
The minister said in a statement that there was no obstacle in supplying electricity to Baghdad as long as the electricity potential of the KRG area is not diminished and the power sector is not badly affected.
Iraq's attempts to buy electricity came after a series of protests against energy shortages in Baghdad and other southern provinces throughout the summer, when temperatures hit above 50 degrees Celsius.
The country generates around 13,500 megawatts and plans to increase its capacity with an additional 3,500 megawatts this year, according to the Electricity Ministry last month.
Ahmed said Baghdad should provide fuel to power plants that produce electricity in the KRG region in order to avoid any interruption in the electricity output.
Iraqi central government plans to construct a 450-megawatt electricity line to power the capital Baghdad and southern provinces via Sulaymaniyah and Kirkuk.
The Iraqi government provides electricity for an average of six hours per day while the remaining hours are provided by the "special generator" in their neighborhood.
The KRG government has a better established power infrastructure than Bahgdad and electricity is generated through power plants fired by oil and natural gas.
In July 14, a new power plant that cost over $500 million started operating in Erbil. The 300-megawatt project would raise power capacity available by 10% across the region.
By Sibel Morrow
Anadolu Agency
energy@aa.com.tr