Iraq Restores Power After Widespread Outages

Power has been restored in Iraq following widespread outages due to a fault at the Hamidiya power plant. The incident affected central and southern regions amid soaring temperatures. Iraq, despite being an oil-rich nation, struggles with energy supply due to historical and geopolitical challenges.

Iraq has restored electricity across the country, a government official confirmed on Tuesday. The power outage, which commenced on Monday, was traced to a sudden shutdown at the Hamidiya power plant, impacting transmission networks in central and southern Iraq.

According to Adel Karim, an adviser to the prime minister, the defect was swiftly rectified, stabilizing the power supply. With temperatures hitting a blistering 48 degrees Celsius in Baghdad, citizens faced challenging conditions.

Iraq, a significant oil producer, continues to battle energy supply issues since the 2003 U.S.-led intervention. Compounding the problem, the Trump administration's sanctions on Iran affected Iraq's ability to import natural gas, crucial for power generation.

(With inputs from agencies.)