Iraq's Ministry of Electricity announced in late December an agreement with Turkmenistan to supply natural gas, Iraqi News Agency (INA) reports. This deal sees Turkmen gas covering 50% of the fuel requirements for Iraq’s gas-powered power plants.
Ministry spokesperson Ahmed Musa detailed the agreement’s progress in a statement to the INA. “The ministry has an agreement with Turkmenistan to supply gas and is working closely with the Trade Bank of Iraq (TBI) to complete financial procedures, including opening letters of credit and transferring funds to the Turkmen side,” he said. “Once payments are finalized, gas supplies will begin, covering about 50% of the requirements of gas-powered electricity stations.”
Preparing for Summer Demand
The ministry has launched maintenance and rehabilitation projects across Iraq’s power stations to ensure readiness for peak summer usage. These efforts include expanding transmission lines, addressing distribution bottlenecks, and constructing new substations.
“This will improve flexibility in load management between provinces through expanded transmission lines and new substations,” Musa explained.
Managing Gas Supply Challenges
The agreement with Turkmenistan comes as some power plants continue to face disruptions due to Iranian gas supply shortages. The Ministry of Electricity, in coordination with the Ministry of Oil, is implementing alternative plans, including Turkmen gas imports and the completion of financial arrangements to secure steady fuel supplies.
Bolstering Fuel Infrastructure
Iraq's Prime Minister, Mohammed Shia’ Al-Sudani, has directed companies to establish liquefied gas platforms at the Port of Faw, an initiative aimed at diversifying fuel sources for power generation. “This move will significantly bolster fuel supplies for power generation,” Musa said.
Comprehensive Energy Strategy
The Ministry of Electricity of Iraq emphasized that aligning all initiatives with a cohesive fuel strategy is critical to meeting the nation’s electricity demands. This strategy aims to not only improve production rates but also ensure reliability and efficiency across Iraq’s power grid the ministry stated.
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