Overview

• The ministry reported that deactivating two high-voltage transmission lines caused an abrupt loss of over 6,000 megawatts, knocking central and southern regions offline.
• Temperatures reached between 47 °C and 50 °C in affected areas, sharply increasing electricity demand and straining the grid.
• Decades of conflict, underinvestment, corruption and fuel shortages have left Iraq’s power infrastructure highly susceptible to summer breakdowns.
• Many households are relying on private generators to bridge outages, a practice officials and meteorologists warn can elevate local heat and emissions.
• Restoration crews are restoring supply in stages across Dhi Qar and Maysan, with Basra expected to regain power by Tuesday morning while Kurdistan remained largely unaffected.