Iraq’s electricity ministry seeks to benefit from Kurdistan Region experience

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – A delegation from the Iraqi Electricity Ministry visited the Kurdistan Region on Thursday to try and learn from the experience of the autonomous region’s reforms of its power sector.

Iraq’s Electricity Minster Adil Kareem and his delegation arrived in Erbil and met with his Kurdish counterpart, Kamal Mohammad Salih, to discuss cooperation in the sector. 

The Iraqi delegation praised the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) for its progress in electricity generation and its successful reuse of gas flares from oilfields, which are harmful for the environment, for generating electricity. They also said they were happy to see stronger cooperation between Iraq and the Kurdistan Region in the electricity sector, a statement from the Kurdish ministry read.  

The Kurdish minister expressed willingness to further cooperate with Iraqi authorities to develop the country’s electricity sector, the statement added.

The two sides also discussed the 400 kV project between the Kurdistan Region and Turkey, which is in its final phase.

The Kurdistan Region’s electricity ministry will participate in any international conferences related to electricity; the officials agreed.

In the summer of 2020, the Kurdistan Region supplied the Iraqi government with 500 megawatts of electricity without affecting its own power supply.