Iraq will start importing 500MW of Turkish power “starting next week” now that “technical interconnection has been completed,” electricity ministry spokesman Ahmed Musa said on 6 March. The start of power flows from Turkey is a key development for Iraq as it seeks to avoid crippling summer blackouts that were exacerbated last year by unreliable supplies from Iran.

When summer temperatures hit 50°C, the Iraqi government will once again have to deal with almost a 9GW gap between peak supply and demand, and the resultant civil unrest. (CONTINUED - 831 WORDS)