Kurdistan
The Azadi electricity plant in Erbil on December 18, 2020. Photo: Bilind T. Abdullah/Rudaw
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Electricity generation should be fully restored Saturday morning as gas deliveries return to normal after an attack on the Khor Mor field, the Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) natural resources ministry said late on Friday.
“The Ministry of Electricity is currently working to normalize the operation of gas power plant units through the Kurdistan Regional Electricity Control Center and this process will last until 10 am,” said the ministry in a statement.
The Khor Mor field, a key gas field in Chamchamal, Sulaimani was attacked on Thursday in a “suspected drone” strike, according to the UAE-based Dana Gas which operates the field.
There were no injuries among personnel, but “production was temporarily suspended to put out the fire which was extinguished,” Dana Gas said.
KRG’s electricity ministry said on Friday that as a result of the attack, gas exports to all power plants were suspended, causing a massive reduction of more than 2800 megawatts in electricity production. In September, the KRG said that electricity generation stood at 3,500 MW.
Since October, there have been frequent attacks on strategic locations in the Kurdistan Region, the majority carried out by Iraqi militias targeting military bases housing United States troops in retaliation for Washington’s support for Israel in its war in the Gaza Strip.
Khor Mor field has several times come under rocket attacks over the past few years, reportedly by Iraqi militia groups affiliated with Iran.
Despite the security threat, Dana Gas said in 2022 that they would be able to meet the Kurdistan Region’s full gas demands in about two years. The field produces 452 million standard cubic feet of gas per day.
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