Iraqi Power Grid Nearing Collapse

[Ghost in the Machine]

Iraqi Power Grid Nearing Collapse
Published: 8/4/07, 8:46 PM EDT
By STEVEN R. HURST

BAGHDAD (AP) - Iraq's power grid is on the brink of collapse because of insurgent sabotage, rising demand, fuel shortages and provinces that are unplugging local power stations from the national grid, officials said Saturday.

Electricity Ministry spokesman Aziz al-Shimari said power generation nationally is only meeting half the demand, and there had been four nationwide blackouts over the past two days. The shortages across the country are the worst since the summer of 2003, shortly after the U.S.-led invasion to topple Saddam Hussein, he said.

Power supplies in Baghdad have been sporadic all summer and now are down to just a few hours a day, if that. The water supply in the capital has also been severely curtailed by power blackouts and cuts that have affected pumping and filtration stations.

Karbala province south of Baghdad has been without power for three days, causing water mains to go dry in the provincial capital, the Shiite holy city of Karbala.

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[Mojambo]

1. Well it's not like it's an energy rich country or anything. n/t

[emilyg]

2. They don't need electricity and water

they got Bush

[Ghost in the Machine]

4. Don't forget Halliburton

[broadcaster]

3. We should only have electric 1 hr a day in solidarity with Iraq...

..so that we can know how it feels. Also, our water should be shut down from 4am to noon, and from
2 until 4am.

[Hubert Flottz]

5. Give the bushies another year in Washington and we probably

to cut taxes on the rich and the energy companies and we'll be there in the same boat with the Iraqis.