Iraq to produce 5,600 megawatts by June

Iraqpress ^ | 02/03/04 | Iraqpress

[Pikamax]

Iraq to produce 5,600 megawatts by June

Baghdad, Iraq Press, February 3, 2004 – Iraq’s output of electricity is expected to surge to 5,600 megawatts by June, according to the Minister of Electricity Ayham al-Samarrai

The boost in power output will come with the start of the summer months in Iraq during which temperatures often brush 50 degrees centigrade.

But Iraqis will still suffer from erratic and long power outages since the projected July output will barely meet half the country’s needs, officials said.

Power needs have risen substantially in Iraq due to massive imports of air-conditioners which are a necessity almost all over the country most time of the year.

Samarrai said power production was currently 3,600, still short of the pre-war level of about 4,400 megawatts.

Baghdad, a city of 5.5 million people, needs at least 1,200 megawatts alone to have round the clock power supply.

The Ministry of Electricity estimates that the country needs to produce about 12,000 megawatts to meet demand for a 24-hour supply.

Samarrai said it would take $8 billion of investment to raise output to 12,000 megawatts per day.

Investment in the power sector will have the lion’s share in the US allocations of $18.5 billion for Iraq’s reconstruction.

Samarrai said power-related contracts and projects financed directly by US money will cost up to $5.6 billion dollars.

“The US coalition authorities will begin funneling the money in the form of contracts with local, Arab and foreign firms at the start of April.

“These projects are bound to substantially improve power supplies,” he said.

He said his ministry has repaired “hundreds of high voltage towers and transformers and about 65 per cent of electrical lines in the country” damaged by saboteurs.