Iraq’s electricity network suffered a full shut down this week amid increased demand in the country’s central region, coinciding with the Arbaeen pilgrimage by Shia Muslims. The national grid suffered a meltdown on 11 August as the electrical loads in Karbala and Babylon provinces rose to 6GW, knocking off several substations in Wasit and Anbar provinces and leading to frequency fluctuations throughout the system.
Power was gradually restored on 11-12 August. Spokesperson Ahmed Musa said that his ministry had planned for 3GW of demand in Karbala and Babylon, just half the eventual figure. The annual gathering typically attracts thousands of visitors from outside the country, and the ministry has excluded Karbala from scheduled power cuts. (CONTINUED - 155 WORDS)