Iraq Electricity Ministry grants directors wide spending powers to meet summer demand

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraq's Ministry of Electricity has issued a ministerial order granting general directors and department heads expanded financial and technical authority to meet electricity demand during the summer months. The order, prepared by the ministry's Administrative Department and approved by the minister, is grounded in Cabinet decisions numbered 2009/90 and 2026/286. Under the order, department heads can directly procure and implement critical materials up to 100 million Iraqi dinars per month. The Najaf and Karbala departments, which serve millions of visitors, received a higher ceiling of 250 million dinars per month. Each sector will also receive 500 service connection packages and 100 cable boxes per month, along with 250 meters of 11- and 33-kilovolt fuses for emergency maintenance. Each department is to maintain a transformer stock of at least 30 units, and warehouse staff are required to be on duty around the clock. Distribution companies will draw materials equal to one-twelfth of their allocated budget, and all work is to be completed no later than September 15, 2026.