Iraq’s cabinet decided on 1 July to halt domestic gas supplies to industrial users until the end of August, diverting all gas output to power plants “due to the reduction in imported gas” amid gas supply cuts from Iran. Iraq says the reduced Iranian gas imports have resulted in 3.8GW of electricity generation losses, MEES reported.
According to Saad Fureih, Director of the Fuel Directorate at the Ministry, gas imports from Iran fell to 25 million cubic metres per day - less than half the contracted volume of 55 million cubic metres. The sudden shortfall forced several gas-powered generating stations offline amid a summer heatwave that has seen temperatures in some provinces exceed 50°C.
In response, the Ministry is working closely with the Ministry of Oil to increase the supply of alternative fuels such as gasoil, though these are less efficient than natural gas. Minister of Electricity Ziyad Ali Fadel is overseeing the response in real-time to minimise disruption.