Local media reported Monday that Iraq was hit by a nationwide power outage due to a technical issue, with government sources estimating that electricity would not return for at least three hours.
The Ministry of Electricity confirmed to Reuters that power was cut across central and southern regions after the sudden shutdown of the Al-Hamidiyah power station in Anbar.
The head of the Iraqi Parliament’s Energy Committee said the blackout affected all of Iraq except the Kurdistan region, citing a technical failure in transmission lines.
The ministry told Iraq’s state news agency INA that teams were on high alert to restore disconnected units and transmission lines gradually.
The crisis has renewed attention on Iraq’s chronic power shortages. Despite being one of OPEC’s largest oil producers, the country has struggled to meet electricity demand since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion. Years of instability, underinvestment, and mismanagement have left the national grid unable to keep pace.
In response, many Iraqis, including farmers, have shifted to solar power to run irrigation systems, supported by government incentives.
Authorities say Iraq has solar potential, with plans to generate 12 gigawatts of solar power by 2030, including a 1-gigawatt plant in Basra set for completion this year.
Follow the latest news on Google News
