Crisis Looms for Iraq's Grid, Water Systems

War damage, fuel shortages, insurgent attacks and a lack of regional cooperation is leading Iraq's power and water infrastructure towards a state of collapse.

1 minute read

August 8, 2007, 12:00 PM PDT

By Michael Dudley

"Iraq's national power grid is on the brink of collapse, the country's electricity ministry has warned. Water supplies to Baghdad have also been cut off for days at a time, with summertime pressures on key systems said to be more intense than ever.

The ministry blamed poor maintenance, fuel shortages, sabotage by insurgents and rising demand for the problems, and said some provinces hold onto supplies.

Aziz al-Shimari said the shortages were the worst since the summer of 2003, shortly after the US-led invasion overthrew Saddam Hussein.

Baghdad residents are complaining that the situation this summer is even worse than four years ago, correspondents say.

Poor maintenance and a lack of diesel fuel have left even newly-refurbished power stations working below capacity."

FULL STORY: Iraq power system 'near collapse'

Tuesday, August 7, 2007 in BBC

Infrastructure Middle East

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