Iraq Sets Up Emergency Power Crisis Room for Karbala's 40th Ziyarat

Iraqi Electricity Minister Ali Saadi Vehip has ordered the creation of a central emergency crisis room as part of preparations for Karbala's 40th Ziyarat, aiming to keep electricity supplies uninterrupted during the summer and the pilgrimage period. He also instructed committee members to carry out field work away from their offices and respond quickly to technical problems. The emergency committee, which brings together the electricity generation, transmission and distribution sectors, is expected to move into action quickly to support the power system through the coming months. The arrangement is intended to strengthen operational readiness at a time of elevated demand and public sensitivity around electricity supply. Deputy Minister Mohammed Nema had earlier said the power generation system was passing through a highly critical period because domestic gas production has fallen and gas imports from Iran have been cut in half. Those pressures have added to the strain on an electricity network that Iraq has struggled to stabilize for years. Iraq has faced a chronic electricity crisis for years, shaped by the effects of a long-standing embargo and successive wars. The latest measures are designed to reduce disruptions at one of the country’s most important religious gatherings while the summer peak places additional pressure on the grid.