Iraq Faces Nationwide Power Outage Amid Extreme Heatwave

Power outages swept across Iraq on Monday as a severe heatwave pushed electricity demand to record highs, officials reported.

The electricity ministry announced a "total outage" of the grid, with temperatures soaring between 48°C and 50°C in Baghdad and central and southern regions.

Two transmission lines were shut down due to unprecedented temperature spikes, increased consumer demand, and a surge in electrical load in Babylon and Karbala provinces, which are hosting millions of pilgrims for a major Shiite religious event.

This shutdown caused an unexpected loss of over 6,000 megawatts on the grid, forcing some power plants to halt operations.

The outage occurs amid a heatwave forecasted by Iraqi meteorological services to last more than a week.

“Our teams are currently working on the ground to gradually restore the grid over the next few hours,” the electricity ministry said.

Electricity shortages remain a persistent issue in Iraq, often sparking protests during the sweltering summer months.

In July 2023, a fire at a transmission station in southern Iraq led to widespread outages.

Most Iraqis rely on private generators, but these often cannot power all household appliances, especially air conditioners.

To prevent blackouts during peak demand, Iraq needs to produce around 55,000 megawatts of electricity.

This month marked a milestone as Iraq’s power plants reached the 28,000 megawatts threshold for the first time.