Iraq’s cabinet has approved new terms for importing electricity from Iran’s state power firm Tavanir according to a 15 March brief press release circulated by local media. As well as lowering the price of electricity supplies, the new five-year contract also “commits the Iranian side” to “provide a minimum total of 1GW on all interconnection lines during peak months [summer].”
The two countries’ grids are synchronized and connected via four cross-border transmission lines with a maximum capacity of 1.2GW. But Baghdad’s inability to pay outstanding debts for past power imports from Iran and Tehran’s own rising power needs both in summer (MEES, 2 July 2021) and winter (MEES, 28 January), mean cross-border supplies are often unreliable and below contracted levels. (CONTINUED - 288 WORDS)