Iranian official claims electricity supply to Iraq has resumed

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Iran is to resume supplying electricity to neighboring states, notably Iraq, as the summer months cool off and the country now produces at a surplus, an official stated on Tuesday.

“As power outages draw down in the country, the potential now exists to export to other countries as [domestic] consumption decreases,” Deputy Energy Minister Mahmoudreza Haghifam told state-owned IRNA news agency.

Haghifam went on to claim that, currently, a “limited amount” of electricity is being exported to Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, adding that the volume increases “by the day” as Iranians reduce their energy use.

Quoting Tasnim news, Iran is “exporting 200 to 250 megawatt of electricity” to its three neighbors, Reuters reported on Tuesday.

The Iraqi Ministry of Electricity, however, has not made a statement whether the country—which saw protests erupt over, among others issues, severe power shortages in the sweltering summer heat—had entered a deal with Iran to resume the import of electricity after Tehran halted its supply over unpaid bills.

Iraq was previously importing a total of 1000 megawatts from its neighbor, but as Iran’s prices rose and Baghdad’s debt started to accrue, the deal fell apart, prompting the government to seek other suppliers.

Saudi Arabia had later agreed to sell electricity to Iraq at a discounted rate from a solar power plant the Kingdom is planning to build.

Following the recent visit by Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi to Turkey, Ankara agreed to export 300 megawatts to Mosul, the Ministry of Electricity said on Monday.

Editing by Nadia Riva