Demanding the dismissal of the electricity director

Muthanna residents protest against reduced power supply

MUTHANNA– Residents of Al-Sowair district in southeast Muthanna governorate set up tents in front of the local electricity department building on Tuesday. The protest is against the deteriorating service and reduced power supply in their areas. The protesters announced an open sit-in until their demands are met, including the dismissal of the electricity department director.

Lafta Madlul, one of the protesters, told 964media, “We organized a protest that turned into an open sit-in in front of the department, demanding the provision of electricity and an increase in supply hours.”

964mediaصورة من منصة (شبكة):

Most areas in Al-Sowair suffer from deteriorating electrical networks and low voltage, which has damaged many household appliances, “We set up tents in front of the department and will not remove them until our demands are met, including the dismissal of the electricity director,” Madlul added.

Previously, national electricity grid operated on a system of 4 hours on and 2 hours off. With the onset of summer, this has changed to 2 hours on and 2 hours off, and now to 2 hours on and 4 hours off in the district, according to the protesters.

Iraq’s power grid faces persistent outages, especially during the scorching summer months, when temperatures can soar to 50 Celsius (122 Fahrenheit) and the demand peaks. Most households receive only a few hours of electricity per day, relying on private generators if they can afford them.

The chronic electricity shortages have sparked widespread protests across Iraq. Annually, Iraqi cities saw significant demonstrations against the frequent and prolonged power outages.

Iraq announced the initiation of a new power line on Sunday that will import electricity from Turkey to its northern governorate, a move aimed at diversifying the country’s energy sources to ease chronic power outages. The new 115-kilometre (71-mile) line connects to the Kisik power station, west of Mosul, and is set to supply 300 megawatts of electricity to the governorates of Nineveh, Salah Al-Din, and Kirkuk.

In March, a 340-kilometre (210-mile) power line started operating to bring electricity from Jordan to Al-Rutbah in Iraq’s southwest.

Baghdad residents protest electricity supply issues

Baghdad residents protest electricity supply issues

Thousands protest in Dhi Qar over electricity crisis

Thousands protest in Dhi Qar over electricity crisis

Ghammas residents protest over detoriating electricity supply

Ghammas residents protest over detoriating electricity supply

Protesters in Al-Mahnawiyah demand basic services, dismissal of local qaymaqam

Protesters in Al-Mahnawiyah demand basic services, dismissal of local qaymaqam