Electricity sector in Iraq

Iraq: Electricity sector
Data
Electricity coverage(2006) 00%(total), 00%(rural);(Iraq total average in 2007: 00%)
Installed capacity(2011) 9.0 GW
Share of fossil energy 81% (thermal, gas)
Share of renewable energy 19% (hydro)
GHG emissions from electricity generation (1994) 0.00 t CO2e per capita
Average electricity use (2003) 700kWh per capita
Distribution losses (2005) 00%; (Iraq average in 2005: 00%)
Residential consumption (% of total)(2002) 48%
Industrial consumption (% of total)(2002) 29%
Government consumption (% of total)(2002) 13%
Average residential tariff (US$/kWh, 2006) 0.000; (Iraq average in 2005: 0.000)
Average industrial tariff (US$/kWh, 2006) 0.000,(Iraq average in 2005: 0.000)
Investment in electricity (post 2003) US$4.5 billion
Share of Government financing (2004) 00%

As of December 2011, the output of electricity sector in Iraq averages more than 8,500 MW, while the demand is typically more than 14,000 MW.[1] In 2006, the average peak electricity supply was 4,280 MW falling short of demand averaged 8,180 MW by about 3,950 MW. According to U.S. agency officials, demand for electricity has been stimulated by a growing economy and a surge in consumer purchases of appliances and electronics. In addition, electricity is subsidized in Iraq, which leads to increased demand. If the Ministry of Electricity’s master plan for 2006 to 2015 to rehabilitate and expand the national grid is successful, the ministry estimates that Iraq will be able to meet its projected demand for electricity in 2009 [2]

Contents

Infrastructure

Iraq's electricity infrastructure consists of a network of

Year  Annual/capita consumption Production (MW) Demand Peak demand
1955 50
1990 1,700 kWh 9300 5100
2003 900 kWh 3300
2003 June 700 kWh 4470 6400 7500
2006 29217 mWh 4280 8180
2008 33567 mWh 6000 10000
2010 8000 14000[1][3]

History

Electricity entered Iraq for the first time in 1917 where the first electric machine was installed in "Khan Dala" building.[4]

1990

Prior to the Gulf War, the total installed generating capacity was 9,295 MW with a peak demand of about 5,100 MW. Approximately 87% of the population had access to electricity.[5] A combination of wars, sanctions, looting and vandalism has however, severely affected the entire power system infrastructure in Iraq.

1991-2003

During the 1991 Gulf War the electricity system suffered severe damage. Several transmission lines were put out of service, substations were damaged. While some of the damage of the 1991 war was repaired and about 4,500 MW of generating capacity was available in 1999 when Iraq reorganized its electricity sector. The sector was separated from the Ministry of Industry, and the Commission of Electricity (CoE) was established on June 21, 1999. About 4500 MW of generating capacity became available by the end of 2002, power supply remained insufficient and unreliable. Programmed load shedding and unplanned power outages were frequent.[6]

Post 2003 war

Although the power system was not significantly affected by the last conflict, capacity was reduced to approximately 3,300 MW by a combination of further breakdowns, lack of spares and interruption of major maintenance cycles. The balance between generation versus demand as reported on 18/July/2004 by the PCO (Agency responsible for Coalition projects following the CPA, which completed its mandate as of 30/June/2004) is as follows:

Lack of electricity tends to affect more severely the most vulnerable groups of Iraq’s society and increases their morbidity and mortality. Ongoing efforts need to be maintained and new actions to increase electricity supply need to be initiated. In addition, significant delays have been occurring in the reconstruction work that is underway and more security related bottlenecks are expected. Baghdad, a city of 6 million (representing 1/3 of Iraq’s population) is still subjected to programmed load shedding on a rolling basis (roughly 3 hrs on 3 hrs off). This is often exacerbated by unforeseen events. For example, on 2 June and 26 July 2004, segments of Baghdad were left without power for 16 and 21 hours, respectively. These events took place in weather that is exceedingly hot. In a country with 39.7% of its population under 15 years, these events don’t go unnoticed and the need to add generating capacity to the grid is most pressing.[7]

Prewar Baghdad had (16-24) hours per day and was favored for distribution, the remainder of Iraq received 4–8 hours per day.[8] Post war, Baghdad no longer has priority and therefore both Baghdad and the country as a whole received on average 15.5 hours every day as of February 2010.[9]

Generation

The 1990 installed capacity of 9,295 MW consisted of 120 power-generating units in various thermal, gas turbine and hydroelectric power stations. Approximately 70% of Iraq’s installed power generating capacity was damaged or destroyed during the 1991 Gulf War. All major power stations were damaged and nearly 80 % of the gas turbines units were affected. After 1991, only about 50 units were available, with a generation capacity of 2,325 MW. The construction work on three new large thermal power stations at Yousifiya, Al-Shemal and Al-Anbar were stopped, because of the ensuing sanctions.[10]

Station type No. Name Plate Rating (MW) Actual Rating (MW)
Thermal 8 5,415 1,600
Gas Turbines 14 2,181 650
Hydro 7 2,518 650
Diesel Plant 3 87 87
Total 32 10,206 3,137

Thermal power stations

The majority of the power plants in Iraq were built between the mid-1970s and 1980s, with a few small gas-fired plants commissioned in 2003. The majority of the existing power plants are thermal plants that use crude oil supported by gas-fired and hydro plants. [11]

Gas power stations

Hydro-power stations

Imports

Local diesel generators

These are either small generators for a capacity of a house or large enough to supply a block of houses within the neighborhood supplying power for monthly fees, 14.2 US cent/kWHr. [15]

Iraq rebuilding projects

In 2005 the World Bank estimated that US$12 billion would be needed for near-term restoration, and the Ministry of Electricity estimated that US$35 billion would be necessary to rebuild the system fully.[16]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Iraq Awarded Electricity Contracts in early 2011". Bloomberg. November 2010. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-11-28/iraq-to-award-electricity-contracts-by-early-2011-update1-.html. Retrieved 30 January 2011. 
  2. ^ a b "REBUILDING IRAQ" (PDF). United States Government Accountability Office. May 2007. p. 34. http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d07677.pdf. Retrieved 31 December 2008. 
  3. ^ "Iraq to build four power plants". Dec 20, 2010. http://www.thenational.ae/business/energy/iraq-to-build-four-power-plants. 
  4. ^ "History of Electricity". Iraqi Ministry of Electricity. p. 14. http://www.moelc.gov.iq/pages_en.aspx?id=4. Retrieved 31 December 2008. 
  5. ^ REBUILDING IRAQ, page 15
  6. ^ "Rehabilitation of Unit 1 of Al Musayab TPS- Stage 1" (PDF). UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT GROUP IRAQ TRUST FUND. p. 6. http://www.iq.undp.org/UploadedFiles/Projects/c08cbf6a-f884-4fce-b592-5f660b7fda8f.pdf. Retrieved 31 December 2008. 
  7. ^ "Rehabilitation of Unit 1 of Al Musayab TPS- Stage 1" (PDF). UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT GROUP IRAQ TRUST FUND. pp. 6, 7. http://www.iq.undp.org/UploadedFiles/Projects/c08cbf6a-f884-4fce-b592-5f660b7fda8f.pdf. Retrieved 31 December 2008. 
  8. ^ "Anger simmers in Baghdad over lack of electricity, crime". USA TODAY. 2003-07-28. http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2003-07-28-anger-usat_x.htm. Retrieved 2011-02-17. 
  9. ^ "Iraq Index" (PDF). The Brookings Institution. January 31, 2011. http://www.brookings.edu/~/media/Files/Centers/Saban/Iraq%20Index/index.pdf. Retrieved February 16, 2011. 
  10. ^ TASK MANAGER: MICHEL GAUTIER, UNDP; AGENCIES PARTICIPATING: UNDP, WORLD BANK (october 2003). "UNITED NATIONS / WORLD BANK JOINT IRAQ NEEDS ASSESSMENT" (pdf). http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTIRAQ/Overview/20147658/ELECTRICITY%20final%20sector%20report%2016%20October.pdf. Retrieved January 3, 2009. 
  11. ^ SYSTEM STATUS, Progress Amid Chaos-Iraq Ministry of Electricity, Hun 1, 2008, by Taymor Farage, National Petroleum Services Co. Ltd, http://tdworld.com/overhead_distribution/progress_amid_chaos
  12. ^ "Power station opens in Baghdad". Aswat Al Iraq. January 3, 2008. http://www.iraqdirectory.com/DisplayNews.aspx?id=7949. Retrieved January 4, 2009. 
  13. ^ "US sanctions hit Iraq power imports from Iran". TradeArabia. January 5, 2011. http://www.tradearabia.com/news/ogn_191412.html. Retrieved January 2011. 
  14. ^ "the real cost to Iraq of imported electricity". Middle East Economic Survey. 14 August 2006. p. , 7. http://www.mees.com/postedarticles/oped/v49n33-5OD01.htm. Retrieved 31 December 2008. 
  15. ^ "iraq-engineers". smrjaff. January 9, 2009. http://iraq-engineers.blogspot.com/2009/01/diesel-generator-power-cost-in-iraq.html. Retrieved January 10, 2009. 
  16. ^ "COUNTRY PROFILE: IRAQ" (pdf). Library of Congress. August , 2006. p. 11. http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/profiles/Iraq.pdf. Retrieved February 4, 2011. 
  17. ^ "US firm GE Energy signs a USD 3 billion contract with government of Iraq". arabiz. December 28, 2008. http://www.arabiz.info/news.php?ArticleID=2470296. Retrieved January 10, 2009. 
  18. ^ "Project #: E4-15" (pdf). Emergency Rehabilitation of Mussayib Power Station – Stage II. 3rd Quarter 2008. http://siteresources.worldbank.org/IRFFI/497779-1106167966892/21971548/E4-15_UNDP_Oct_08.pdf. Retrieved January 8, 2009. 
  19. ^ "World Bank to loan Iraq power plant $124 million". Iraq Directory. 2007-03-30. http://www.iraqdirectory.com/DisplayNews.aspx?id=3524. Retrieved January 9, 2009. 
  20. ^ "Dora Power Station Unit 5 and 6" (pdf). Lloyd Wilson, Yogin Rawal, P.E. The Office of the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction (SIGIR),. July 18, 2007. http://www.sigir.mil/files/assessments/PA-07-103.pdf. Retrieved January 28, 2011. 
  21. ^ "Dokan and Derbandikhan Emergency Hydro Power Project" (pdf). PROJECT INFORMATION DOCUMENT (PID. March 27, 2006. p. 8. http://www.krg.org/pdf/WBPID_HydroPower.pdf. Retrieved January 10, 2009. 
  22. ^ "Turkish company to build power plant in C. Iraq". Power & Materials 1/13/2011 8:31:00 PM. KUNA. January 13, 2011. http://www.kuna.net.kw/NewsAgencyPublicSite/ArticleDetails.aspx?id=2137758&Language=en&searchtext=Turkish%20company. Retrieved January 28, 2011. 
  23. ^ a b c "Iraq awards power turbine work to 3 Turkish firms". Three Turkish companies win contracts worth $900 mln. Reuters. October 10, 2010. http://www.reuters.com/article/2010/10/10/iraq-electricity-idUSKAM04975220101010. Retrieved January 28, 2011. 
  24. ^ "Iraq MOE - Al Khairat Power Plan". Projects Monitor. Zawya. January 29, 2011. http://www.zawya.com/projects/project.cfm/pid090710125537?cc. Retrieved January 30, 2011. 
  25. ^ http://www.payvand.com/news/11/jul/1266.html
  26. ^ http://www.iraq-businessnews.com/2011/07/27/iran-to-increase-electricity-exports-to-iraq/
  27. ^ http://www.sunir-co.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=204&Itemid=23
  28. ^ http://www.bedigest.com/NEWS/57330.aspx