Iraq plans to provide a plan for the removal of Iranian electricity to Washington

by **claud39** Thu Nov 29, 2018 8:54 am

http://economy-news.net/content.php?id=14546

Iraq plans to provide a plan for the removal of Iranian electricity to Washington

11/29/2018

Economy News _ Baghdad

The Iraqi Ministry of Electricity has set a plan for the independence of Iranian electricity in a year and a half, while the government plans to submit it to the US side for a new deadline for US sanctions, the Press Agency reported on Thursday.
"In the midst of American pressure to prevent the import of Iranian energy and the weight of the popular summer protests for chronic power cuts, Iraq, one of the world's hottest countries, is seeking long-awaited reforms," the agency said in a report. The Ministry of Electricity several options, including the restoration of stations and lines to reduce waste, and the import of energy from other countries, and improve the process of collection to enhance revenue.
"Baghdad hopes Baghdad will provide enough megawatts to cover the needs by the summer, when millions are affected by power outages of more than 20 hours a day, but that does not mean that the time is open, there is a deadline before things get worse. Iraq is exempt from 45 days of sanctions imposed by the United States in November on Iran in the file of its nuclear program. "
"The Ministry of Electricity has now set a plan for independence from the government, Iranian electricity in 18 months, and solved some of the problems accumulated a decade ago. "
"Within two weeks, we will present our plan to the Americans, the plan is for five years and will be evaluated annually from the American side," the teacher said.
"If the Americans find that the plan is integrated and serious, it is possible to extend the period (45 days) to a year or two," he explained, adding that "there are no immediate solutions quick."
Iraq is on 153 billion barrels of crude oil reserves, but needs higher-quality gas and fuel to run its power plants.
The teacher acknowledged that "if Iraq can dispense with Iranian electricity, it needs Tehran gas until it has the ability to extract gas or invest gas burned during the extraction of oil."
According to the agency, "using its fuel alongside Iranian gas, Iraq can produce about 16 thousand megawatts of electricity, which is much less than the need, which starts at about 24 thousand megawatts, up to 30 thousand in summer, with temperatures reaching 50 degrees percentage".
"Most of this shortage is technical. As Iraq transfers energy, between 30 and 50 percent of it is lost in poor infrastructure, some of which are outdated, and there are pipelines, pipelines and stations that have also been attacked by an organization calling for the rehabilitation of those infrastructure, is based in the Ministry of Electricity plan.
He pointed out the teacher, to "memoranda of understanding , which were signed by the ministry with Siemens ($ 10 billion), and General electric ($ 15 billion), to improve the infrastructure."
so can add up to 24 thousand MW in five years, and "we can get to 40 thousand megawatts," according to the same spokesman.
The new electricity minister, Louay Khatib, has asked Siemens and General Electric to plan "fast track" to boost power generation by summer.
Baghdad is looking for ways to fund such efforts, including a $ 600 million financing deal between General Electric, the Iraqi Trade Bank and Standard Chartered, announced at the end of November.
"Another ministerial initiative involves the replacement of Iranian energy with imports from other neighboring countries, including 300 MW from Turkey, Jordan and Kuwait, as well as Saudi solar energy," he said.
In a glimmer of hope for the success of the plan, Iraqi President Barham Salih toured Amman, Kuwait and Riyadh in his first regional tour since his election.
"In addition, Baghdad seeks to recover the money lost by the ministry's weak collection service."
"We have a 60 per cent chance that if we reduce these rumors, we will be free of Iranian lines," the teacher says.
Iraq began last year a privatization process by contracting with companies that offer the collection service to ensure the collection of electricity bills.
"The process of privatizing the collection has actually reduced the power cuts in Baghdad," Samir Hussein, an employee of the distribution department at the Ministry of Electricity, said 20 years ago, noting that "those who pay, reduce their use by half, which allows To redirect the ligaments to other neighborhoods and avoid cutting operations. "
The draft budget for 2019 that Iraq allocated about 800 million dollars "for the amount of Iranian gas arrears" and about 350 million dollars for cash payment of Iranian electricity, according to the Iraqi Energy Institute.
"Another problem," says energy expert Harry Stepanian,
He pointed out that "neighboring Kuwait generates a similar amount of electricity to Iraq, but its ministry employs 12 thousand compared with 140 thousand in Iraq."
"Everything planned by the minister is doomed to failure if there is no reform," he told AFP.