BASRAH ELECTRICITY UPDATE

C O N F I D E N T I A L BASRAH 000088

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 5/29/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL ECON ENRG ETRD IZ
SUBJECT: BASRAH ELECTRICITY UPDATE

CLASSIFIED BY: Mark Marrano, DEPUTY REGIONAL COORDINATOR, REO
BASRAH, DEPARTMENT OF STATE.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d),(e)




1. (C) In a May 27 meeting, Dr. Wathib Al Amood, Basrah
Provincial Council (BPC) member and member of the Reconstruction
Committee, told Poloff that electricity availability in Basrah
had declined from "three on, three off," to "two on, four off"
since the beginning of May. With temperatures in the city
soaring to well over 100 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and
remaining in the high 80's at night, non-violent demonstrations
about electricity shortages have been occurring in the city.
The most recent demonstration occurred on the night of May 27,
when a crowd burned tires in the streets of downtown Basrah
protesting the lack of electricity from about 2300 until power
returned at 0030.


2. (C) Dr. Wathib said that the main problem with the
electricity in Basrah was not so much the fewer hours but the
fluctuation in power. These fluctuations were damaging
machinery and equipment. As he spoke, the lights in his office
flickered and his ceiling fan alternately sped up and slowed
down, emphasizing his point. Halfway through the meeting, the
power went out altogether.


3. (C) Dr. Wathib stated that Basrah generated 570 megawatts
(MW) of power but needed 800 to meet all its needs. Of the 570
MW produced, he said that 170 MW were allocated to the South Oil
Company and another 150 to other factories and industries.
(Note: Al Hartha power station produced 125 MW of power, Khor
Az Zubair power station produced 215 MW, and Najabia power
stations produced 70 MW according to a May 15 BPC report. Other
power stations in Dhi Qar and Maysan produce an additional 435
MW and 13 MW respectively.)


4. (C) The BPC was working to address the electricity problem
in Basrah, Dr. Wathib said, by negotiating with Iran for an
additional 350 MW of power as part of an Iraq-wide arrangement
for a total of 1500 MW of power. He said that this arrangement
was schedule to come into affect by July. However, he was
doubtful that Basrah would see any increase until much later
because the capacity did not yet exist to deliver the power from
the Iranian border to end-users in Basrah.


5. (SBU) USG-funded projects to improve the distribution and
transmission system in Basrah are numerous. The U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers is constructing 17 substations in Basrah for
completion within the next year, for example, and the British
Department for International Development (DFID) is managing
several projects to improve capacity at the Khor Al Zubair and
Al Hartha power stations.


6. (C) Comment: It is no coincidence that the reduction in
hours of power in Basrah corresponds to the rising temperature.
As Basrah's residents power up their newly acquired air
conditioners, refrigerators, and ceiling fans to cool down,
Basrah's antiquated transformers can't take the heat and break
down. Repairing transformers that break down on a daily basis
has become one of the BPC's priorities. As these transformers
are fixed or replaced, the reliability of electricity should
improve. The important thing is the BPC has identified the
delivery of power to its constituents as a priority and is
working to address the issue. End comment.

MARRANO