Al-Sudani launches national campaign to ‘rehabilitate’ power grid before summer

BAGHDAD – Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani on Wednesday launched a nationwide campaign to rehabilitate Iraq’s electricity distribution networks, directing efforts to address power grid challenges ahead of the summer spike in demand. Speaking via video conference, Al-Sudani emphasized the urgency of the project, calling it “the most critical campaign to address grid overload before reaching the summer peak,” according to his media office.

Power shortages strike Iraq every year, especially during the summer when temperatures can surpass 122 degrees Fahrenheit. Although the government has repeatedly pledged to address the problem, the electricity supply consistently falls short of demand.

Statement from Al-Sudani’s media office:

Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani launched today, via video conference, the construction of projects for rehabilitating electricity distribution networks, installing transformer stations, and extending feeders in the electricity sector. These projects will be implemented in the provinces of Baghdad, Basra, Anbar, Nineveh, and Karbala, as part of the national campaign to address challenges facing the electricity grid for summer 2025.

The Prime Minister reviewed the Ministry of Electricity’s plans for power station maintenance ahead of summer 2025 and praised the efforts of the general directors and technical teams from the Ministry’s electricity companies, which will carry out the projects. He directed expedited completion according to the planned schedule and emphasized the need for on-site supervision by general directors, their deputies, and department heads to ensure the execution of the most critical campaign to address grid overload before reaching the summer peak.

The campaign involves 323 transformer stations under construction, installation, or rehabilitation, distributed as follows:
• Baghdad: 104 stations
• Central Euphrates Region: 52 stations
• Central Electricity Distribution: 50 stations
• Northern Electricity Distribution: 29 stations
• Southern Electricity Distribution (Basra, Dhi Qar, Maysan, Muthanna): 112 stations

Additionally, the project includes:
• 449 feeders (33 kV capacity)
• 1,871 feeders (11 kV capacity)

Key Points from Prime Minister Al-Sudani’s Remarks:

This campaign meticulously addresses technical challenges and is a necessary preemptive measure to manage power loads, particularly during peak summer demand, ensuring the national grid is fully prepared.

Identified congestion points are the main target of this campaign, which aims to resolve power overload efficiently.

Adhering to the maintenance and rehabilitation schedules is crucial. The government chose the right timing before peak summer demand to optimize spending and improve electricity production.

The focus is on the transmission and distribution sectors to prevent energy waste and reduce losses across the power grid.

Simultaneously, the government is diversifying energy sources, with ongoing projects in solar and clean energy sectors.

The reliable private sector remains a key partner, particularly companies that have contributed to finding solutions.

Sustainable development relies on a stable electricity supply to support Iraq’s comprehensive economic and infrastructure advancement.