Iraq’s electricity needs far exceed its actual generation capacity due to gas supply shortages and damage of many facilities during the war, a deputy has said.

The OPEC member produced nearly 26,000 megawatts (MW) of electricity last summer and output is expected to grow to about 28,000-30,000 MW next summer, said Hassan Al-Assadi, deputy chairman of the Parliament’s Electricity and Energy Committee.

“In order to ensure power supplies round the clock, Iraq needs to produce 35,000-40,000 MW continuously,” Assadi told Iraq’s Shafaq News agency on Wednesday.

According to the report, the power supply shortage in Iraq could be tackled after the completion of several electricity projects, including interconnections with Jordan and Gulf countries, and solar power plants that will be built foreign companies.

(Writing by Nadim Kawach; Editing by Anoop Menon)

(anoop.menon@lseg.com)

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