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Sunday, November 25, 2007

Good News from Iraq: 25 Nov 2007

From MNF-I, Another Overhead Line Project Turned Over to Ministry of Electricity.

DUHOK — The Duhok-Aqra 132kV overhead line was handed over to the Ministry of Electricity here recently, with one circuit fully energized to supply a mobile substation at Aqra.

In an area of northern Iraq with historically low electrical availability and capability, the new overhead line significantly and immediately benefits people in more than (100) Kurdish villages in and around the Aqra area.

“For many years, the people here have depended on diesel generator sets, receiving commercial power less than two hours per day,” said Gary York, resident engineer at the Duhok and the Erbil Resident Offices of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Gulf Region Division.

“And, the benefits will be further increased when the new substation in Aqra is complete and a second circuit is energized next March,” York added. “It’s been a (17)-month project, but the people of Aqra are certainly enjoying a better life today than they were last month.”

York said an estimated (30,000) people now average (10) – (13) hours of electricity per day. Because the $18 million project brings the power flow from Turkey directly through Duhok substation, it can now support the substation in Aqra.

According to sources at the Gulf Region Division in Baghdad, Turkey has a great deal of interest in maintaining this arrangement with Iraq for commercial and economic benefits. Iraq also receives power from Iran and occasionally, Syria.