Iraq Suffers Power Crisis As Temperatures Soar

University professor Shorook Amer told Al-Monitor, “The large thermometer installed by the university is relatively accurate.” On July 23, the Meteorological Department in Baghdad announced that the high in Baghdad that day had been 43 degrees Celsius [109 degrees Fahrenheit]. Due to the high temperatures, the government decided to allow employees to take leave every Thursday during July.

Despite minor differences in temperature readings, they are overall generally quite high and are causing drought and hardship. This summer, like those of years past, is fueling anger toward government officials because of the accompanying sharp decline in the power supply.

Chervan al-Waili, a Shiite member of the parliamentary Integrity Committee, has accused the Ministry of Electricity and concerned members of the parliamentary Energy Committee of "deceiving the people," indicating that "those responsible for the electricity file say that Iraq needs 14,000 MW, while it actually needs 21,000."

During this last year of the current government, which ends in summer 2014, it appears that the Maliki administration will again prove itself unable to end the energy crisis plaguing Iraq.

Speaking during a news conference in Baghdad on July 27, 2013, Waili said, "From 2004 to 2011, the Ministry of Electricity has spent about $40 billion."

He continued, "Until now, the total amount spent is nearly $50 million."

Ali Abel Sadah is a Baghdad-based writer for both Iraqi and Arab media. He has been a managing editor for local newspapers as well as a political and cultural reporter for more than 10 years.

(Source: Al-Monitor)