Shafaq News- Diyala

Diyala province in eastern Iraq has received an additional 120 megawatts of electricity following the restoration of two power interconnection lines with the Kurdistan Region, a move expected to improve daily supply and enhance grid stability, local authorities announced on Saturday.

Miqdad Al-Jourani, director of the provincial Electricity Distribution Branch, stated that the 132-kV Kalar 1 and Kalar 2 transmission lines have returned to service after the completion of technical requirements for their reactivation. The additional capacity, he clarified, has improved voltage stability in northern Diyala and reduced pressure on the province’s 400-kV transformer station, increasing the network’s operational flexibility.

The restored lines are expected to improve service reliability during the peak summer season, Al-Jourani added.

On May 13, the Diyala Electricity Distribution Branch estimated that the province was receiving only 500 megawatts against demand exceeding 2,400 megawatts during peak summer consumption. The shortfall has been compounded by lower national generation levels and disruptions to imported gas supplies, particularly from Iran, which have strained Iraq’s power sector in recent months.

Electricity Ministry spokesperson Ahmed Mousa Al-Abadi told Shafaq News in March that interruptions in Iranian gas deliveries had removed more than 3,000 megawatts from the national grid. Although imports later resumed, volumes remained below contracted levels.

The Ministry has warned that summer demand could approach 40 gigawatts, compared with expected generation of around 29 gigawatts. Iranian gas has historically supported nearly one-third of Iraq’s electricity production.

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