General Blackout hit the whole electric grid in the Iraq Monday (11.08.2025), as a result of extreme heat and a record of electricity consumption. According to the Ministry of Electricity, two transport lines were shut down, causing a loss of more than 6,000 megawatts and the cessation of the production stations.
The power outage occurred at a time when the heat temperature reaches 50 ° C in the Iraq capital, Baghdad and 11 provinces in the center and south of the country. Demand is particularly high in the province of Kerbala, where millions of pilgrims flock to Arbain’s big Shiite celebration.
Authorities assure that the workshops have been mobilized for the progressive restoration of the “in the coming hours” network. However, the incident once again highlights the vulnerability of the Iraqi power system, which is being tested every summer.
A chronic problem
Frequent and prolonged power outages fuel citizens’ dissatisfaction and intensify political tensions. Iraq, which needs about 55,000 MW to meet the cutting-edge summer demand, reached 28,000 MW for the first time this year-a record performance, but well below the needs.
According to meteorological services, the current heat wave is expected to last more than a week. The country is more often and more intense incidents of heat than in the 20th century, due to climate change and human factors, such as greenhouse gas emissions and fumes from private generators.
Meteorological spokesman Amen Al Jaberi proposed the creation of a “green zone” around Baghdad so that the city “could breathe”.