KRG to reduce supply to power grid for 72 hours, reconfigure fuel distribution

The Kurdistan Region’s Ministry of Electricity (MOE) on Monday announced it was cutting fuel supplies to two power plants in the region for up to 72 hours ahead of a project aiming to increase the distribution of gas to the stations, which could then produce more energy.

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Kurdistan Region’s Ministry of Electricity (MOE) on Monday announced it was cutting fuel supplies to two power plants in the region for up to 72 hours ahead of a project aiming to increase the distribution of gas to the stations, which could then produce more energy.

“On Friday, DanaGas Company, with the aid of the Ministry of Natural Resources, will put into action a project that will raise the [local] production of natural gas,” began a statement by the Ministry of Electricity of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG).

The ministry explained that while gas pipelines are being reconfigured, supply lines to power production facilities in Erbil and Chamchamal would be cut. As a result, electricity production will be shut down in said facilities for a period of 48 to 72 hours, likely to affect many in the region.

It is unclear whether regional electricity supplies provided by the remaining operating plants would result in a simple reduction, or if the power supplies would be entirely cut off, meaning people would have to rely on local generators.

“We would like to notify citizens that… increasing gas production will have a positive effect on electricity production and citizens would be the main beneficiary,” the ministry claimed.

The MOE recently announced an increase in hours of supplied public electricity of up to 20 hours a day as demand has substantially decreased amid cooler temperatures.

The Kurdistan Region, though faring better than the rest of Iraq, has had to supplement the shortcomings of the national system with locally installed generators with limited capacity, not designed to handle high-wattage usage.

Power supplies often fail to meet demands throughout the summer and winter months, with the increased usage exceeding the capacity of the region’s power plants to fully deliver.

Editing by Nadia Riva