Large areas of northern and central Iraq are facing blackouts due to the protracted near-halt of gas supplies from Iran amid record demand for gas for heating in Iran itself (MEES, 24 January). Supplies have remained threadbare since collapsing in late November (MEES, 29 November 2024). Iraq has effectively lost 6GW of power as a result according to 18 January comments by electricity minister Ziad Fadhel.
A key pipeline linking Iran to central Iraq, which is meant to supply 25mn m3/d (883mn cfd) to power plants in Baghdad and the mid-Euphrates region, remains shuttered. Tehran says it is conducting maintenance work on the line, but in reality it routinely prioritizes its own demand over energy exports to Iraq, which has struggled to make payments due to US sanctions. (CONTINUED - 1040 WORDS)
