Minister: Iran Ready to Increase Electricity Exports to Iraq
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iran's Energy Minister Hamid Chitchian, who is on a trip to Baghdad, reiterated that the country is ready to increase its power exports to the neighboring Iraq.
"We are ready to scale up electricity exports to the country after we reach necessary agreements,” Chitchian said on Wednesday, adding that based on previous agreements Iran can transfer 1490 megawatts of electricity to Iraq per day.
The Iranian minister also said that in the talks with his Iraqi counterpart, Qasim Mohammad Abid Hammadi al-Fahadawi in Baghdad, he will pursing the issues discussed during the previous round of talks between the two sides in Tehran.
Fahadawi also termed Chitchian’s visit to Iraq important and beneficial for both countries.
He also described the geographic proximity of the two countries, their long shared border and the Iranian companies’ capability to resolve Iraq’s problems in the electricity industry as the reasons behind the two side’s willingness to promote ties in the area.
Iran’s daily electricity exports to Iraq amount to 1300 megawatts and the annual exports are totally valued at one billion dollars.
Back in 2013, the two sides agreed to increase electricity exports from Iran to Iraq by 500 megawatts.
Iranian companies have so far completed 10 projects in Iraq in the area of water and electricity and another 27 projects of the companies valued at $1.245 billion are still underway in the country.