Egypt, France airdrop aid to Gaza amid growing humanitarian crisis, global criticism of Israel    Supply minister discusses strengthening cooperation with ITFC    Egypt launches initiative with traders, manufacturers to reduce prices of essential goods    SCZONE chief discusses strengthening maritime, logistics cooperation with Panama    Egypt strengthens healthcare partnerships to enhance maternity, multiple sclerosis, and stroke care    Egypt keeps Gaza aid flowing, total tops 533,000 tons: minister    Egypt reviews health insurance funding mechanism to ensure long-term sustainability    Gaza on verge of famine as war escalates, ceasefire talks stall    Gaza crisis, trade on agenda as Trump hosts Starmer in Scotland    Egyptian president follows up on initiatives to counter extremist thought    Indian Embassy to launch cultural festival in Assiut, film fest in Cairo    Egyptian aid convoy heads toward Gaza as humanitarian crisis deepens    Culture minister launches national plan to revive film industry, modernise cinematic assets    Egypt will keep pushing for Gaza peace, aid: PM    I won't trade my identity to please market: Douzi    Sisi calls for boosting oil & gas investment to ease import burden    EGX to close Thursday for July 23 Revolution holiday    Egypt welcomes 25-nation statement urging end to Gaza war    Sisi sends letter to Nigerian president affirming strategic ties    Egypt, Senegal sign pharma MoU to unify regulatory standards    Two militants killed in foiled plot to revive 'Hasm' operations: Interior ministry    Egypt, Somalia discuss closer environmental cooperation    58 days that exposed IMF's contradictions on Egypt    Egypt's EHA, Huawei discuss enhanced digital health    Foreign, housing ministers discuss Egypt's role in African development push    Egypt reveals heritage e-training portal    Three ancient rock-cut tombs discovered in Aswan    Sisi launches new support initiative for families of war, terrorism victims    Egypt expands e-ticketing to 110 heritage sites, adds self-service kiosks at Saqqara    Egypt's Irrigation Minister urges scientific cooperation to tackle water scarcity    Palm Hills Squash Open debuts with 48 international stars, $250,000 prize pool    On Sport to broadcast Pan Arab Golf Championship for Juniors and Ladies in Egypt    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



US sanctions hamper Iraq power imports from Iran
Published in Daily News Egypt on 07 - 01 - 2011

BAGHDAD: Iraq has been unable, due to US sanctions, to pay Iran millions of dollars owed for electricity, an Iraqi official said, potentially damaging its efforts to supply enough power to a population suffering chronic shortages.
Iraq imports 650 megawatts of electricity from Iran and plans to boost imports to around 1,000 MW this year, Adel Mahdi, an adviser in the electricity ministry, said on Wednesday.
But due to US sanctions against Tehran over its nuclear program, foreign banks have refused to transfer at least $200 million of overdue payments to Iran, raising fears among Iraqi officials that a cheap and vital power supply could be cut ahead of the sizzling Iraqi summer.
"I fear an indirect effect, that by summer maybe the debt on us will be half a billion (dollars) and at that time they (Iran) have peak demand... they could say 'we will have to eliminate the contract and stop'," Mahdi said in an interview.
"That would cause a very big problem to Iraq."
He said last year Iraq's peak power supply was about 6,500-7,000 MW, and demand was estimated at 14,000 MW during the summer when temperatures frequently exceed 50 Celsius and air conditioning units run constantly.
In 2011, supply is expected to rise to around 8,000 MW as new power plants and turbines go online.
But demand is also expected to increase to more than 15,000 MW as the country rebuilds an economy and infrastructure damaged by war, Mahdi said.
"The demand is still rising at high levels, the annual demand growth is around 8 to 10 percent," he said, "... which means this year... the shortfall will remain at around 50 percent."
Additional generation would remain limited in 2012 but people would start noticing a large increase the following year, he said.
Last summer, days of protests in the Shia south over crippling power cuts forced the electricity minister to step down. The former oil minister, Hussain Al-Shahristani, is serving as acting electricity minister.
Seven years after the US-led invasion, Iraq's national grid still only supplies a few hours of power each day and intermittent electricity is one of the public's top complaints.
Struggling to meet demand, Iraq is considering connecting to a regional power grid link, Mahdi said.
"There are positive indications from both the Syrian and Egyptian sides," Mahdi said. "We need negotiations with Jordan and Syria, and to complete the required... installation of transmission lines."
The regional power grid link is intended to have a capacity to provide each member with more than 500 MW and connect Egypt, Libya, Lebanon, Palestine, Jordan, Syria, Turkey and Iraq, he said.
Iraq is also in talks with Syria over electricity imports this summer through an old link, with a capacity of 70 MW, to the northern Iraqi city of Mosul, he said.


Clic here to read the story from its source.