Jakarta –
The Iraqi capital, Baghdad, and several central and southern regions experienced a total power outage leading to complete darkness. This condition was caused by a technical failure.
A spokesman for Iran’s Energy Ministry said the power outage was due to a sudden drop in gas supplies to the Rumaila gas-fired power plant in Basra province.
“This decline caused a rapid loss of electrical power of 1,900 megawatts,” the spokesperson was quoted as saying ReutersThursday (5/3/2026),
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Currently repair work is being carried out to gradually restore electrical power. A senior source familiar with power operations said power supply would return to normal within a few hours.
For years many Iraqis have relied on private generators to meet their electricity needs due to the irregular availability of government electricity supplies. Others are turning to solar power to help meet their electricity needs.
A sudden power outage also occurred at the Hamidiya power plant in western Anbar province in August 2025. This caused damage to the electricity transmission network.
A member of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and one of the world’s leading oil producers, Iraq has struggled to provide energy to its citizens since the 2003 US-led invasion toppled Saddam Hussein.
In the ensuing chaos, lack of investment and mismanagement have left the national electricity grid unable to meet demand.
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(aid/fdl)
