Iraq says no sign gas supplies from Iran to resume soon

Power disruptions have increased after Iranian gas supplies were cut in December

Photo: Reuters

Iraq's electricity ministry said on Saturday there were no signs that Iranian gas supplies would resume to the country soon.

Iranian gas supplies were halted due to a drop in temperature and Tehran's need for gas, the Iraqi ministry's spokesperson said in remarks to the press, citing a Telegram message from Iran.

Iraq reported the halt in Iranian gas supply in December, owing to the shutdown of some generating units and load shedding at others.

The electricity ministry said 4,000 to 4,500 megawatts of power had been lost from the electrical system as a result.

Tehran supplies between a third and 40 percent of Iraq's gas and power needs.

Iraq's power demand during winter peak hours reaches about 48,000MW, while domestic generation stands at roughly 27,000MW, forcing the country to rely on imports to bridge the gap, electricity officials have said previously.