Searing flames engulfed the power plant in Basra, Iraq, on Saturday, July 29, engulfing the entire region in darkness. Sporadic explosions rocked the plant as it was consumed by the inferno. Desperate technicians desperately tried to reroute electricity to other parts of the country as an act of sabotage left Salah Al-Din governorate in northern Iraq without power. With their heroic efforts foiled, all of Iraq was plunged into darkness at 12:40 p.m.
Power outages in Iraq have reached an all-time high, as three major electricity transmission towers met their untimely demise in the wake of sabotage. The consequences of this destruction are further compounded by the blistering heat waves that ravage the country, with temperatures reaching a boiling 50 degrees Celsius that puts immense strain on the ramshackle infrastructure.
The power crisis is exacerbated by the reliance of Iraqi power plants on Iranian gas imports are subject to frequent disruption, leaving Iraq powerless and its citizens vulnerable. Desperate individuals resort to purchasing electricity generators, but these small appliances cannot hope to quench the greater thirst for energy from air conditioners. Despite being an oil-rich nation, the production of 32,000 megawatts per day is needed to meet the electrical demands, yet only 26,000 megawatts can be supplied due to chronic mismanagement and corruption.
