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Fire at Electricity Substation Triggers Nationwide Power Outage in Iraq

Ministry of Electricity in Iraq (INA)
Ministry of Electricity in Iraq (INA)
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Fire at Electricity Substation Triggers Nationwide Power Outage in Iraq

Ministry of Electricity in Iraq (INA)
Ministry of Electricity in Iraq (INA)

A fire at an electricity substation in southern Iraq triggered a nationwide power outage Saturday, the electricity ministry said in a statement, also noting that repairs are under way to return power back to normal within the next few hours amid the searing summer heat.

Electricity is a sensitive issue in Iraq, where 43 million people live with frequent power cuts of up to 10 hours a day, worsened by temperatures of up to 50 degrees in summer.

“The power grid experienced a total shutdown on Saturday at 12:40 pm due to a fire that affected a transmission substation in Basra province,” the Ministry said.

Ministry spokesperson Ahmed Moussa told AFP that the outage affected the mains supply to “all of Iraq.”

Later, Electricity Minister Ali Fadel instructed to form an urgent investigative committee to investigate and explain the causes of the fire that occurred at Al-Bakr secondary substation, which led to the separation of the transmission lines of the southern region from the central one, and caused the complete shutdown of the grid.

The Ministry statement had explained that the fire forced “the suspension of transmission lines” between the south and center, and a halt to generation at power plants.

“Speedy repairs are under way... to gradually restart the power plants and transmission lines,” it said, adding that it was hoped the grid would be “back to normal within the next few hours.”

The frequent power outages in Iraq are mainly due to infrastructure shortages following decades of conflict, corruption and mismanagement in the country.

Although Iraq is an oil-rich country, its power plants rely heavily on imported gas from Iran that is repeatedly cut off, making the frequent blackouts worse.

Many households subscribe to neighborhood generators to provide back-up power.

Peak summer demand reaches more than 32,000 megawatts (MW) a day. This year, for the first time, Iraq generated 26,000 MW per day, according to ministry figures.

The Iraqi News Agency (INA) said that the electricity transmission line linking Salah al-Din Governorate and Haditha, was subject to an act of sabotage, putting it out of service. The agency gave no other details about the nature of the sabotage act or those standing behind it.

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Lebanese Judge Questions Former Top Security Chiefs over Beirut Port Blast

FILE - In this Aug. 5, 2020 file photo, a drone picture shows the destruction after an explosion at the seaport of Beirut, Lebanon. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla, File)
FILE - In this Aug. 5, 2020 file photo, a drone picture shows the destruction after an explosion at the seaport of Beirut, Lebanon. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla, File)
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Lebanese Judge Questions Former Top Security Chiefs over Beirut Port Blast

FILE - In this Aug. 5, 2020 file photo, a drone picture shows the destruction after an explosion at the seaport of Beirut, Lebanon. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla, File)
FILE - In this Aug. 5, 2020 file photo, a drone picture shows the destruction after an explosion at the seaport of Beirut, Lebanon. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla, File)

The Lebanese judge investigating the massive 2020 Beirut port explosion questioned two former security chiefs on Friday, including a former head of the General Security Directorate who appeared in court for the first time since being summoned nearly four years ago, according to four judicial and two security officials.
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media. The hearings mark a rare breakthrough in the long-stalled probe, The Associated Press said.
Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim and former head of State Security Maj. Gen. Tony Saliba, are among several officials charged in connection with the blast that killed over 220 people. The specific charges have not been disclosed.​
Ibrahim appeared in court for the first time, where Judge Tarek Bitar questioned him about the operations of the General Security Directorate during his tenure and requested related documents, which Ibrahim’s lawyer is expected to submit next week.
Ibrahim, who headed the General Security Directorate between 2011 and 2023, is known for wide connections with local, regional and international figures, including the Iran-backed militant Hezbollah group, the Syrian government and Western nations, making him a key political mediator.
Ibrahim’s attorneys said in a statement that the former General Security chief appeared in court despite having previously filed a legal challenge against Judge Bitar and despite claiming that he was immune from prosecution.
His attorneys said he appeared as a “mark of respect for the families of the martyrs and victims, his belief in justice and truth, and his commitment to upholding legal procedures and the course of justice.”
Saliba, appearing in court for the fourth time, cooperated with the hearing, providing documentation pertaining to his role at State Security. After the hearing, Saliba described the proceedings as “positive" in a statement.
On Aug. 4, 2020, hundreds of tons of ammonium nitrate detonated in a Beirut Port warehouse, killing at least 218 people, injuring more than 6,000 and devastating large swaths of the capital. The blast, one of the largest non-nuclear explosions in history, caused billions of dollars in damage and sent shockwaves through the nation’s capital.
Following years of political obstruction, Bitar resumed the stalled investigation in mid-January, questioning port and customs employees, retired military officials, the former head of port security, the former army intelligence director, and 12 witnesses.
This development coincides with significant political changes in Lebanon, including the election of Joseph Aoun as president and the appointment of Nawaf Salam as prime minister. Both are perceived as outside the traditional political establishment, which includes many figures charged in the port explosion case.​
Several officials implicated in the investigation have accused Bitar of bias, refused to testify, and filed legal complaints against him.
Next week, Bitar is expected to question top former political leaders. Former Prime Minister Hassan Diab, who was in office at the time of the port explosion and is among those charged by Bitar, is scheduled to appear in court in May. His hearing will be followed by the questioning of four judges.
Meanwhile, a French delegation is expected to submit their findings from their investigation into the explosion later in April. France initiated its own probe into the explosion in 2020 after three French nationals were killed in the blast. However, French judges have faced obstacles accessing documents from the Lebanese investigation, which has been hindered by political interference.