Shafaq News/ On Friday, Iran began gradually resuming gas supplies to power plants in central Iraq following the completion of maintenance work on gas transmission lines, a government source revealed.

The source told Shafaq News that electricity supply is expected to improve in the coming hours in central regions, particularly in Baghdad, Wasit, Diyala, parts of Al-Anbar, and other provinces.

The resumption came after a two-week suspension of Iranian gas supplies for maintenance, which had caused the Iraqi national power grid to lose about 5,500 megawatts of electricity, according to the Ministry of Electricity's announcement on November 24.

Notably, Iraq has relied on scheduled power cuts since the 1990s due to chronic electricity shortages. Residents often turn to private generators to fill the gap.

To supplement its needs, Iraq imports 33-40% of its gas and electricity from Iran. However, US sanctions on Iran have complicated payment for these imports, restricting Iran's access to funds for purchasing non-sanctioned goods like food and medicine.

In light of these challenges, Baghdad has been pursuing alternative energy strategies, including regional grid connections to secure stable electricity supplies without relying on fuel.

Iraq has also sought to diversify its gas imports, signing a preliminary agreement with Turkmenistan in August 2023 to supply gas for its power stations.

On the other hand, the United States continues to pressure Iraq to reduce its reliance on Iranian gas, despite Iraq’s status as the second-largest oil producer in OPEC.