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15 September 2003 - The cost of providing an adequate power supply to Iraq may be as much as $20bn, according to comments made by the newly appointed Electricity Minister Saturday.
Ayham al-Samaraie told reporters that he is planning to visit Washington next month to seek the funding needed to revive the vital electricity sector because his ministry has no money. Previous estimates for electricity and telecommunications rebuilding costs were $10 000-15 000.
The ministry's latest plans call for the generation of 18 000 MW in the next two-three years, increasing to 20 000 MW in the next five years, he said.
Since the war's end, Iraq's domestic power generation hasn't risen above 3,500 megawatts, or 75 per cent of pre-war capacity, officials with the U.S.-led Coalition Provisional Authority say. This, despite Iraq having a rated capacity of over 10 000 MW.
Al-Samaraie said the country's electricity output would increase to some 4000 MW by the end of this month and to 6000 MW within six-nine months. People in the authority believe an investment of $1bn is needed to achieve next summer's sustained power generation target of 6200 MW. Recent improvement sin power output in the south have seen oil production rise.
The ministry is also looking to co-operate with Japanese companies to build power stations, the minister said, adding that Japan's ambassador to Kuwait is due in Baghdad shortly to discuss Iraq's electricity need.
Al-Samaraie said the ministry's plans also call for building new power stations fuelled by natural gas, instead of retaining the country's reliance on heavy fuel oil or crude oil.
Al-Samaraie plans to travel to Madrid after the US, to participate in a donor conference on Iraq, which, he said, may provide $2bn for the reconstruction of Iraq.
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