Iraq holds power at 14,000 MW as Iran gas resumes

2026-03-21 - 14:40

Shafaq News- Baghdad Limited Iranian gas supplies have resumed to Iraq, helping stabilize the national electricity grid at around 14,000 megawatts, the Electricity Ministry announced on Saturday. In a statement, ministry spokesperson Ahmed al-Abadi described the system as operating under a “planned and closely monitored” framework. Resumed gas flows at about 5 million cubic meters per day helped contain the impact of the earlier disruption, he clarified, noting that the ministry managed alternatives, including reallocating domestic gas and coordinating with the Oil Ministry to secure substitute fuel. Strategic energy projects remain on track and unaffected by recent developments, the spokesperson added, citing combined-cycle upgrades, a liquefied gas platform in Khor al-Zubair, and electricity interconnection with neighboring countries as key pillars to strengthen grid capacity. Earlier this week, Iranian gas supplies had stopped completely, cutting more than 3,000 megawatts from the national grid, according to the ministry. The disruption followed reported Israeli strikes on facilities linked to Iran’s South Pars gas field —part of the world’s largest offshore gas reserve shared with Qatar— and energy infrastructure in Asaluyeh. Iraq continues to face chronic electricity shortages despite its oil wealth, with demand typically reaching 50,000–55,000 megawatts during peak summer months, compared to current production of about 27,000–28,000 megawatts. Iranian gas covers roughly 40% of the country’s fuel needs and supports nearly one-third of its electricity generation. Read more: Energy war nears Iraq: Oil infrastructure faces rising threat