Kurdistan Region PM and US secretary discuss expanding energy ties
In a phone conversation on Thursday, Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani discussed recent developments in energy relations between the Kurdistan Region and the United States with US Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette.
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – In a phone conversation on Thursday, Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani discussed recent developments in energy cooperation between the autonomous federal region of Iraq and the United States with US Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette.
The two covered "ongoing progress in expanding energy relations between the Kurdistan Region and the United States and efforts to further improve the investor-friendly environment in the Kurdistan Region," a statement on the KRG website read.
"The Prime Minister reiterated the KRG’s agenda to promote inward investment and create more jobs for Kurdistani citizens. Prime Minister Barzani appreciated Secretary Brouillette’s support in that regard and called for more US investment and support," the statement added.
Barzani last spoke by phone with Secretary Brouillette in October.
Read More: PM Barzani, US Secretary discuss ‘investment opportunities’ in Kurdistan energy sector
The two first met in February at the 2020 Munich Security Conference, a yearly three-day forum where world leaders meet, according to its organizers, "to discuss diplomatic initiatives to address the world's most pressing security concerns."
Read More: PM Barzani meets US Secretaries of State, Energy in Munich
Though the ability of the Kurdistan Region to produce sufficient and reliable electricity for its population is far superior to the rest of Iraq, the KRG has had to supplement chronic power shortages with locally installed generators that are fuel-inefficient, a significant source of pollution, expensive, and not designed to handle high-wattage usage. This is especially obvious during the summer months when widespread air conditioner use stresses the already overtaxed grid.
The four provinces of the region have a total of ten power stations with a combined capacity of 2,700 MW at maximum output. However, demand growth has outpaced available supply, which has slacked for a number of reasons. Several power stations have also had their operations suspended at various times when gasoline supplies to the companies running them were irregular.
Editing by John J. Catherine