ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraq's electricity minister said on Wednesday that he will meet with his Kurdistan Region counterpart in two weeks as Baghdad looks to achieve energy independence and ensure the national grid can meet demand. The federal and regional ministers will discuss “signing an energy exchange agreement for next year,” said Electricity Minister Ziad Ali, adding that the two ministries have good coordination. Last Sunday, the ministry announced that it buys 900 megawatts of electricity daily from the Kurdistan Region. Despite its large oil and gas reserves, Iraq suffers from chronic electricity shortages and for years has been dependent on frequently interrupted gas imports from Iran. With the national grid unable to meet demand, Iraqis rely on private generators that are environmentally damaging and expensive. The government is hoping to eliminate the need for this stopgap. “We will reduce dependence on generators,” Ali said, adding “We will move to the national grid.” He noted, however, that this will happen “gradually.” Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani has repeatedly said improving the energy sector is a priority of his cabinet and that Baghdad wants to be self-sufficient in its gas supply and end imports within the next five years. In July 2023, Baghdad and TotalEnergies signed a $27 billion contract to develop Iraq’s oil, gas, and renewable energies sectors - a major step towards gas self-sufficiency.
