Power Plants Suddenly Closed, Iraq Blackout

UNSPLASH/Nhan Hoang ILLUSTRATION

Iraq was hit by a power outage in its central and southern regions on Monday after a power plant in Anbar Province, western Iraq, was shut down.

The sudden closure of Hamidiya's plant caused disruption to the power transmission network, said a source at the relevant ministry.

The head of Iraq's parliamentary energy committee told Reuters Monday, August 11, power outages did not affect Kurdistan's semi-autonomous region.

As 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 that toppled Saddam Hussein.

In March, US President Donald Trump's administration lifted relief that allowed Iraq to pay Iran for electricity, as part of Trump's "maximum pressure" operation against Tehran.

Iraq relies heavily on imports of Iranian natural gas to generate electricity.