Optical Fiber Link With Iraq Planned
Iran and Iraq have signed an agreement to build a 315-megawatt power plant in eastern Baghdad. Under the deal, SANIR Company, a subsidy of Iran's Energy Ministry, will construct the power plant in the densely-populated and poor district of Sadr City in the suburb of the Iraqi capital, IRNA reported. The agreement was signed by the managing director of the Iranian company, Reza Ebadzadeh and the Iraqi Deputy Electricity Minister Salam Al-Qazaz on Sunday.
Ebadzadeh told IRNA on Monday that the two sides agreed to make the power plant operational in two years.
He stated that this is the first energy project undertaken by an Iranian company in Baghdad.
The Iranian side agreed to implement the project in two separate units to meet some of the electricity demands of the country. The project will cost $150 million.
Meanwhile, Iraqi Minister of Electricity Karim Vahid, in a press conference, expressed satisfaction over electricity cooperation with Iran.
He said that apart from the project in Sadr City, four other power plants will be constructed by Iranian experts in other Iraqi provinces.
Sadr City is home to some 2.5 million people out of Baghdad's seven million population. Power supply is a major problem in the Iraqi capital. On the scorching summer days, the city's residents face power outage of up to 10 hours per day.
Meanwhile, an understanding has been reached between Iran and Iraq to connect optical fiber networks of the two countries.
A member of the Board of Directors of Iran's Infrastructure Telecommunications Company told ISNA that the document has been signed by the Iranian side and forwarded to Iraq for signature by officials of that country.
Jalal Mahfouzi predicted that operations to link the optical fiber networks will begin immediately after Iraq signs the agreement.
The capacity of fiber will initially be 16 STM1 link, the official said, adding that this can be increased in the future.
© Iran Daily 2007
