Key to Expanding Electricity, Gas Exports to Iraq

Although electricity and natural gas export to Iraq are on track, it is not clear whether Iran will be able to boost exports to the Arab neighbor soon, the head of the Iranian Oil, Gas and Petrochemical Exporters Association said.
“Iraq will be in dire need of Iran’s electricity and natural gas for at least the next 10 years. Nonetheless, we won’t be able to raise exports unless domestic consumption declines and plans to develop infrastructures gain momentum,” Hamid Hosseini was also quoted as saying by ILNA.
Close to 1,200 megawatts of electricity are sold to Iraq per day and it can increase only if the current installed electricity generation capacity at 65,000 MW rises by 20% to reach 80,000 MW, he added.
Referring to ongoing negotiations between Iraq and other nations, including Turkey, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, to import electricity, Hosseini noted that even if the talks yield positive results and they agree to sell power to Iraq, electricity deficit in Iraq will hover around 8,000 MW, which can be covered by Iran if infrastructures expand.
Iran supplies close to 52 million cubic meters of gas to Iraq, which cannot increase due to high domestic need that is soaring at an alarming rate.
According to the official, the National Iranian Gas Company produces close to 850 million cubic meters of gas per day, of which 90% are used domestically, leaving little room to expand exports.
The other contributing factor is that NIGC’s production capacity has not increased over the last three years and it will not change in the foreseeable future.