Iraq Restores Power After Nationwide Blackouts

Iraq has restored power after blackouts hit the country. The article is reserved for members and requires registration to access.

Iraq has begun the process of restoring power following a significant outage that affected its central and southern regions. The power outage, which occurred on Monday, August 11, 2025, was caused by a sudden shutdown at the Hamidiya power plant in Anbar province, leading to a fault in the electricity transmission network [2].

The outage was reported by state news agency INA and sources from the Ministry of Electricity. The disruption, which took place amidst extreme temperatures reaching 47 degrees Celsius in Baghdad, caused widespread outages across the national electricity grid. Mohammed Nehme, the electricity ministry undersecretary for production affairs, stated that technical teams are currently working to address the fault and restore power, with service expected to be fully restored within the coming hours [2].

The power outage did not affect the semi-autonomous Kurdistan region, according to the chair of Iraq's parliamentary energy committee. Many Iraqis have relied on privately operated generators or solar power for years due to the intermittency of government-provided electricity. The Electricity Ministry is operating in full emergency mode to bring back power as quickly as possible [2].

This incident highlights the ongoing challenges Iraq faces in providing reliable energy to its citizens. The country has struggled with energy provision since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion, with under-investment and mismanagement leaving the national grid unable to meet demand. In the summer of 2021, severe power and water cuts hit large parts of the country amidst scorching temperatures, leading to protests in Baghdad [2].

Iraq's energy woes are further complicated by its reliance on Iranian natural gas imports for generating electricity. In March 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump rescinded a waiver that had allowed Iraq to pay Iran for electricity, as part of his broader maximum pressure campaign against Tehran [2].

The restoration of power comes at a critical time for Iraq, which is a member of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and one of the world's leading oil producers. The country's ability to provide reliable energy to its citizens is essential for economic growth and stability.

References:
[1] https://caliber.az/en/post/iraq-to-resume-oil-exports-via-turkiye-s-ceyhan-port
[2] https://finance.yahoo.com/news/iraq-begins-power-restoration-outage-111512485.html
[3] https://www.straitstimes.com/world/blackout-hits-central-southern-iraq-sources-say