Iraq has agreed to double electricity imports from Turkey to 600 megawatts, the Iraqi state news agency reported on Sunday, following Washington’s decision to revoke a waiver allowing Iraq to import electricity from Iran.
The agreement was reached during a meeting between Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein and Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar, where both sides discussed bilateral cooperation in electricity, natural gas, and the oil sector, according to a statement from Iraq’s Foreign Ministry.
The ministers also explored ways to attract Turkish investment into Iraq’s oil and gas sector and emphasized accelerating the electricity interconnection project to address Iraq’s chronic power shortages.
Additionally, the talks included the possibility of importing gas from Turkey to supply Iraq’s power plants, a critical issue as Iraq relies on Iran for up to 50 million cubic meters of gas daily under a five-year agreement extended in March 2024.
Iraqi energy officials warn that the loss of Iranian gas imports could cut Iraq’s electricity output—currently 27,000 megawatts daily—by one-third, posing further strain on the nation’s fragile power grid.
