Temperatures are rising in Iraq and look set to top 50°C in July and August. The outlook for power provision, as in every summer, is grim. With neighboring Iran cutting gas exports (MEES, 28 April), Baghdad has been left scrambling for every bit of output it can secure from its generation fleet.
On 25 June, PM Mohammed al-Sudani oversaw the deployment of upstream cooling systems at eight power plants which will unlock an additional 797MW from existing gas-fired turbines. The systems increase the efficiency of turbines by reducing the temperature of intake air. Yet that amount is a drop in the ocean against Iraq’s expected 13GW gap between peak demand and supply this summer. (CONTINUED - 905 WORDS)
