Iraq is planning to purchase 500 megawatts of electricity from Turkey in order to solve the problem of power cuts in the country.

According to the Iraqi Electricity Minister’ Adel Karim’, their local program on the state broadcaster.

Minister Karim said that, “the negotiations for gas purchases from Qatar are continuing as well, in a bid to provide sufficient electricity service in Iraq.”

Furthermore, Karim stated that the issue of gas purchase from Qatar will be completed within one year to 15 months if the possibilities allow.”

Karim repeated that they also signed an agreement related to electricity with Saudi Arabia; Karim stated that the amount of electricity they will receive from Saudi Arabia in the first round would be 500 megawatts, and then this will go to be increased to 100 megawatts.

Karim stated that the electricity flow line with Jordan would be completed within a year, explaining that the electricity to be taken from this country would be transferred to the regions in the west of Iraq.

According to the Iraqi Minister, 8 million cubic meters (mcm) of gas is currently coming from Iran, which is not sufficient for electricity generation.

“A panel from the ministry will go to Tehran as soon as possible in order to solve the gas issues from Iran. Iranian gas to Iraq’s annual cost to less than $4 billion. We did not even get 1 megawatt from Iran last summer,” he said.

Iraq has been suffering from a lack of electricity service for past many years. In most parts of the country, only three to five hours people get the electricity facility on their average per day.

For the past many years, Iraqis have been getting their electricity supply from neighbourhood generators for a fee and limited quantities. It is stated that these generators increase environmental pollution and disorder in the country.