Iraq is accelerating its efforts to wean itself off Iranian gas. What are the immediate alternatives? , 31 MARCH

  Iraq is accelerating its efforts to wean itself off Iranian gas. What are the immediate alternatives? 

Member of the Parliamentary Electricity and Energy Committee, Hatem Al-Saadi, confirmed on Sunday that the government has begun to look for alternatives to Iranian gas to power power plants, especially with the approaching summer season and increased energy demand. He also pointed to a number of alternatives to compensate for Iranian gas, which is under US sanctions.

Al-Saadi said, "The move toward clean energy has become a foregone conclusion, especially after the imposition of US sanctions on the Islamic Republic of Iran and the resulting damage to Iraq. The Iraqi government had to find alternatives to Iranian gas, which will lead to a significant shortage in electricity supply next summer."

Al-Saadi added, "Solutions must be immediate and swift. There are gas imports from abroad, offshore platforms after construction, and oil pipelines being constructed by the Oil Projects Company from the ports to the power plants in Basra Governorate."

Al-Saadi continued, "The government has begun to move toward renewable energy and existing waste, especially since a number of investment companies are interested in generating electricity by establishing stations after incinerating existing waste in Iraq." He noted that "there is a directive from the Ministry of Electricity to all governorates to provide plots of land for this purpose."

The parliamentary energy member continued, "Electricity is a crucial element, and the government has taken proactive steps to minimize the damage caused by the Iranian gas cutoff. If there is a shortage of electricity, we could witness demonstrations due to the deterioration of electricity services over the past 20 years, due to the rampant corruption of successive governments, without any deterrent to all these corrupt individuals."

Al-Saadi pointed out that "gas imports will currently be from Qatar and the Sultanate of Oman, which are the closest and best options, given their proximity to the Arabian Gulf."  link