Iraq subsidises power after protests over services

[Joanne98]

Source: Reuters

BAGHDAD, Feb 12 (Reuters) - Iraqis will receive their first 1,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity for free each month, the Ministry of Electricity said on Saturday, following growing protests over poor electricity supply and basic services.

In the most recent demonstration, hundreds of people gathered in Baghdad on Friday to protest shoddy services and sporadic power, as turmoil rocks other parts of the Arab world.

Acting Electricity Minister Hussain al-Shahristani said the subsidy would apply to all Iraqis but was mainly aimed at helping around 8 million low-income Iraqis.

Consumers who use more than 1,000 KWH will pay for what they use over the exempted amount.



Read more: http://af.reuters.com/article/energyOilNews/idAFRAS22447520110212

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LOL That was fast!

[LawnKorn]

1. It might have helped if the USAF had not blown their power grid to kingdom-come a few years ago

[Joanne98]

2. True

[pasto76]

3. "if they had not blown what infrastucture there was".....

really wasnt much to blow up. Most towns I went through had a single 100kW or larger genset with literally hundreds of stereo speaker sized wires running from it to individual houses.

[Mnemosyne]

4. KnR for visibility of what the US has destroyed there. n/t