Iraq's Electricity Minister highlights fuel shortage as key challenge

Shafaq News/ Iraq's Minister of Electricity, Ziyad Ali Fadel, has identified fuel provision for power generation as the “key challenge” facing his ministry.

Speaking at a panel discussion titled Vision and Strategy of the Electricity Ministry on the second day of the Iraq Energy conference in Baghdad, Fadel underscored the ongoing fuel shortage and its impact on production units.

“Production rates are 60-70% dependent on fuel, and this issue has burdened the ministry for many years,” he stated, outlining a strategic vision to mitigate the crisis by investing in associated gas and reducing reliance on imported fuel.

Fadel highlighted key developments in Iraq’s energy sector, noting that “the ministry has completed interconnection projects with neighboring countries, securing an additional energy source.” He also emphasized Iraq’s commitment to renewable energy, revealing that ongoing and planned projects are expected to generate 1,800 megawatts upon completion.

The minister also announced that Iraq will soon sign a contract with UAE-based Masdar to produce approximately 1,000 megawatts of electricity, affirming that “the ministry is focused on reducing dependence on imported fuel through multiple strategic initiatives.”

Addressing the anticipated electricity demand for the upcoming summer, Fadel projected it to reach 55,000 megawatts, while Iraq’s production capacity may only reach 29,000 megawatts. To bridge this gap, he pointed to interconnections with neighboring countries, collaboration with the Kurdistan Region, and agreements to import gas from Turkmenistan as essential measures.