Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraq’s Electricity Ministry on Monday penalized six officials, including a director general, for “negligence” following an investigation into a September 14 transformer explosion at Baghdad’s new Al-Farabi substation that killed three employees.

A ministerial order attributed the penalties to “shortcomings” in following up on the operation of the station’s SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) system, imposing formal warnings under Iraq’s State and Public Sector Employees Discipline Law.

Those penalized were Riyadh Oraibi, acting director general of the state-run General Company for Electricity Transmission/Central Region; Amir Abdul Hassan Laibi, chief engineer and director of the First Grid; Salam Hindi Sayyah, head of operations; Sabah Sami Shathar, former head of safety; Adnan Hassan Hussein, head of maintenance; and Mohammed Abdul Amir Mazhar, formerly responsible for the station in the protection section.

The findings also showed that the late station controller, Abdul Zahra Farhan Katouf, had carried out an incorrect operational procedure involving equipment at the accident site that was not required under the work order, according to the document.

The ministry subsequently ordered transmission and distribution station controllers to undergo training within six months, with those who fail the courses to be excluded. It also directed authorities to complete the installation, testing and operation of SCADA equipment at secondary substations according to a set timetable.