Iraq says electricity link with Jordan to start production on July 1

By Mohammad Farid Mahmoud Abdullah

BAGHDAD (AA) – Iraq said that an electricity grid interconnection with Jordan will start production on July 1.

“Production will start with a capacity of 50 megawatts in the first phase,” Electricity Ministry spokesman Ahmed Moussa said in statements quoted by state news agency INA.

He said production had been scheduled to start in June but “was delayed due to weather conditions and arrangements on the Jordanian side.”

There was no confirmation yet from the Jordanian authorities.

Iraq generates some 19,000-21,000 megawatts, but the country’s actual need tops 30,000 megawatts, according to ministry officials.

For years, Baghdad has imported 1,200 megawatts of electricity from neighboring Iran to feed its local electric power plants.

Last year, Iraq signed a memorandum of understanding with Saudi Arabia for electricity interconnection between the two neighbors.

*Writing by Ikram Kouachi​​​​​​​