Iraq-Saudi power grid link

The two countries signed an agreement to link their power grids on Tuesday. The deal was inked via video conference by the Saudi energy minister and Iraqi Acting Minister of Electricity Adel Karim, in the presence of Secretary-General of Iraq’s Council of Ministers Hamid al-Ghazi.

The power grid link between Saudi Arabia and Iraq is expected to produce one gigawatt of energy during the initial phase, the Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman al-Saud

Iraq has been witnessing a chronic power shortage since the US-led invasion in 2003, as the country’s electricity plants and electricity imported from neighbouring Iran reached over 20 gigawatts, far less than the actual demand of over 30 gigawatts.