The Iraqi Ministry of Electricity said that the summer of 2009 will be different than previous ones, particularly given the increase in electric power production. Vice-President Tariq Al-Hashimi said that the ministry is part of the national system and is in need of strategic plans that achieve results and save time for Iraqis.
This took place during a visit by Vice-President Tariq Al-Hashimi to the electricity ministry headquarters, as he continued following up on humanitarian, services and human rights issues in the country.
The problems and obstacles the ministry faces were discussed at the meeting, as were issues related to energy production, generation, financing and government allocations for the ministry.
In a joint press conference with the electricity minister, Al-Hashimi said, "As part of my repeated series of meetings with the minister of electricity, we have been and are still seeking an effective solution to the issue of electric power in the country and have discussed future possibilities that help us move beyond the current bottleneck." He added, "Without growth in the electricity sector, all other economic sectors will remain unsettled."
"Iraq must make up for the opportunities for progress and development it has missed,” he added. “The classic solutions will not be beneficial and will not lead to the expected results. We look forward to strategic plans that achieve results and save time for Iraqis.”
Al-Hashimi listened to proposals and viewpoints from the ministry's general directors, most of which related to issues of production, distribution and financing. He promised to discuss them at the presidency council.
Following this, Al-Hashimi walked around the ministry of electricity building and met with various employees. He stated his commitment to work with other parties in order to follow up on the ministry's most pressing issues and help it carry out its programs.
Al-Hashimi invited the minister of electricity to attend the fifth session of the presidential economic commissions, which Al-Hashimi chairs and which will be held prior to the first annual economic conference in Baghdad. The session, in coordination with the ministries of oil, finance and trade, focuses on discussing the most important projects. The economic conference is expected to take place early next month, and will go over economic, financial and energy issues. Al-Hashimi emphasized that electricity needs to be a complementary part of the national economic system.
At the same time, Iraq's Minister of Electricity Karim Wahid called on Turkish Energy Minister Hilmi Guler to attend the quartet meeting that will be held in Baghdad next Thursday and will bring together the energy ministers of Turkey, Iran, Syria and Iraq. He explained that Turkish companies are extremely important in building new gas power plants.
There is no doubt that the notable security improvements may help raise the level of services and provide the adequate environment to rebuild destroyed facilities and infrastructure. In addition, the electricity ministry has launched a major investment campaign focused on energy issues. Collaborating with the ministry on this campaign will be American company General Electric, which specializes in the production of electrical energy, and German company Siemens. Both companies are expected to begin work following completion of the surveys and selection of the sites where the two additional energy production plants will be built, yielding 7,500 megawatts, which will lead to self-sufficiency and an end to the current shortages.
Current capacity lies somewhere between 5,750 and 6,000 megawatts. This number is expected to rise by mid-March, once the units at the Al-Quds thermal power plant, near Baghdad, are completed.