Baghdad plans to buy Kurdistan electricity to meet summer demand
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Iraqi electricity ministry said Sunday that it is planning to resume suspended electricity purchases from Erbil’s private sector as it expects a generation deficit of around 42,000 megawatts during the summer. Electricity imports have been halted since the start of the US-Israeli war against Iran on February 28.
“There is coordination and discussions with the Kurdistan Region to supply us with electricity in the summer,” Ahmed Musa told Rudaw.
He added that the federal government used to purchase an average of 1,200 megawatts from the Kurdistan Region prior to the war.
Electricity generation in Iraq often fails to meet rising demand during peak summer and cold winter seasons. The shortage has been exacerbated by Washington’s decision to rescind Iraq’s waiver to import electricity from Iran in March 2025 as part of the Trump administration’s “maximum pressure” campaign against Tehran.
Musa said summer demand may reach 60,000 megawatts, while current electricity production stands at 18,000 megawatts due to "maintenance of work at power plants, decline in local gas production, and reduction in gas imports.”
However, “after the completion of maintenance work electricity production will rise to between 29,000 and 30,000 megawatts” before summer.
The spokesperson also told Rudaw in late April that power grid interconnection projects with neighboring countries will become operational before the hot season.
He said imports are expected to reach around 600 megawatts from Turkey, 500 megawatts in the first phase from Gulf countries, and 150 megawatts from Jordan.
“There is coordination and discussions with the Kurdistan Region to supply us with electricity in the summer,” Ahmed Musa told Rudaw.
He added that the federal government used to purchase an average of 1,200 megawatts from the Kurdistan Region prior to the war.
Electricity generation in Iraq often fails to meet rising demand during peak summer and cold winter seasons. The shortage has been exacerbated by Washington’s decision to rescind Iraq’s waiver to import electricity from Iran in March 2025 as part of the Trump administration’s “maximum pressure” campaign against Tehran.
Musa said summer demand may reach 60,000 megawatts, while current electricity production stands at 18,000 megawatts due to "maintenance of work at power plants, decline in local gas production, and reduction in gas imports.”
However, “after the completion of maintenance work electricity production will rise to between 29,000 and 30,000 megawatts” before summer.
The spokesperson also told Rudaw in late April that power grid interconnection projects with neighboring countries will become operational before the hot season.
He said imports are expected to reach around 600 megawatts from Turkey, 500 megawatts in the first phase from Gulf countries, and 150 megawatts from Jordan.