BAGHDAD, Sept 1 (Reuters) - Iraq's electricity ministry saidon Wednesday that Iranian gas supplied to the central andsouthern regions was reduced from 49 million to 8 million cubicmetres per day, causing a risk of serious power shortages.

A reduction in Iranian gas supplies led the national powersystem to lose about 5500 megawatts, the ministry said in astatement.

The ministry said that there has been contact with theIranian energy ministry and Iran's embassy in Baghdad to clarifythe reasons for the reduction, the statement added.

Washington has repeatedly extended by 90 or 120 days asanctions exemption to allow Baghdad to import Iranian energyafter Washington reimposed sanctions on Tehrans oil sectorforbidding countries from purchasing Iranian energy.

The United States has insisted that oil-rich Iraq, OPECssecond-largest producer, move towards self-sufficiency as acondition for its exemption for importing Iranian energy, yetBaghdad has struggled to do so, in part due to low oil prices.

(Reporting by Ahmed Rasheed, editing by Louise Heavens) ((ahmed.rasheed@thomsonreuters.com; +964-7901-947-131; ReutersMessaging: ahmed.rasheed.thomsonreuters.com@thomsonreuters.net))