Iraq's Electricity Sector, Explained
Who runs Federal Iraq's power system, how generation, transmission and distribution fit together, and where the country's 19 GW demand gap actually sits — a starting point for investors, contractors and operators entering the sector.
Iraq Power at a Glance
How Iraq's Electricity Sector Works
The Iraqi electricity system is entirely state-owned and operated through the Ministry of Electricity (MoE), which sits at the top of a three-tier value chain: generation → transmission → distribution. Knowing which state company controls each tier is the first step to understanding how the sector actually operates.
Generation
Fuel converted to electricity at steam, gas, hydro and diesel plants across all provinces.
Transmission
High-voltage backbone at 400 kV and 132 kV moves bulk power from plants to load centres.
Distribution
33/11 kV networks feed 5.6 million metered consumers across all 15 Federal governorates.
State Company Coverage by Governorate
The MoE operates through 12 state-owned general companies split across generation, transmission and distribution — each assigned to a fixed regional footprint. Toggle between Distribution and Generation to see which company operates in each governorate. Click a governorate for its company profile.
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Coverage note: Map covers federal Iraq only — Kurdistan Region (KRI) governorates are excluded. Transmission companies cover the same four regions as generation. Click any governorate to see which state company operates there.
Generation Fleet at a Glance
Iraq's generating fleet totals 38,287 MW of installed capacity across 681 units. Actual average output in 2024 was 18,856 MW — a system utilisation rate of ~49%, reflecting fuel constraints, maintenance backlogs, and grid limitations.
| Plant Type | Units | Installed Cap. (MW) | Avg. Output 2024 (MW) | Production 2024 (GWh) | Share % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steam (Thermal) | 27 | 7,245 | 3,642 | 31,993 | |
| Gas (Open & Combined Cycle) | 200 | 16,543 | 6,632 | 58,257 | |
| Hydro | 29 | 1,864 | 397 | 3,486 | |
| Diesel (incl. Hyundai) | 363 | 1,957 | 331 | 2,910 | |
| MoE Domestic Total | 619 | 27,609 | 11,002 | 96,645 | 58% |
| IPP / Investment Plants | 53 | 10,678 | 7,172 | 59,723 | |
| Imports (Iran + Kurdistan) | — | — | 1,667 | 14,649 | |
| System Total | 681+ | 38,287 | 18,856 | 165,630 | 100% |
Source: Iraqi Ministry of Electricity — Annual Statistical Report 2024
Iraq's Chronic Supply-Demand Gap
Iraq needs roughly 38,885 MW of dispatchable power to meet demand. The system currently delivers only 19,868 MW — a shortfall of nearly 49%. Understanding what drives the gap is essential for any participant in the sector.
Peak demand across all 15 federal governorates in 2024. Grows ~5% annually as population and urbanisation accelerate.
Power actually delivered to distribution networks in 2024, inclusive of imports and IPP output.
The gap that drives load-shedding (up to 12–16 h/day in summer). Biggest opportunity for IPP investors and EPC contractors.
Why the gap persists
Gas-fired plants run at ~40% utilisation due to insufficient domestic gas supply and flare-gas capture shortfalls.
Steam plants average >20 years old; unplanned outages are frequent. The Zubaidiya (Wasit) plant alone accounts for 40% of steam output.
7.4% transmission losses and limited 400 kV interconnects constrain how much generated power actually reaches distribution.
System-wide technical and non-technical losses averaged 55%. Baghdad's distribution companies lose more power than they sell.
Residential rates start at 10 IQD/kWh (~$0.007) — among the world's lowest — limiting investment recovery and maintenance budgets.
Iraq imported 9.3 TWh from Iran and 9.3 TWh from Kurdistan Region in 2024 — politically sensitive supply that is periodically interrupted.
Electricity Tariff Structure (Current)
Iraq uses a progressive block tariff where the price per kWh rises with consumption. Industrial and agricultural rates are flat. Commercial and government rates are the highest, though still far below cost-reflective levels.
| Consumption (kWh/mo) | Rate (IQD/kWh) |
|---|---|
| 1 – 1,500 | 10 |
| 1,501 – 3,000 | 35 |
| 3,001 – 4,000 | 80 |
| > 4,000 | 120 |
| Consumption (kWh/mo) | Rate (IQD/kWh) |
|---|---|
| 1 – 1,000 | 60 |
| 1,001 – 2,000 | 80 |
| > 2,000 | 120 |
| Consumption | Rate (IQD/kWh) |
|---|---|
| All bands | 60 |
| Consumption | Rate (IQD/kWh) |
|---|---|
| Government — all bands | 120 |
| Agricultural — all bands | 60 |
Source: Iraqi Ministry of Electricity — Annual Statistical Report 2024, Section on Electricity Tariffs
Explore the Numbers
All charts are built from the Iraqi Ministry of Electricity's primary statistical reports. Data exports and full datasets are available to licensed subscribers.
Need the Full Dataset?
IEM compiles, translates, and structures Iraq's Ministry of Electricity annual reports into clean, analyst-ready spreadsheets covering all 73 domestic plants, 15 federal governorate distribution networks, tariff tables, fuel consumption, and the full 2010–2024 time series.
- Plant-level generation & capacity data (2024)
- Governorate demand, supply & loss metrics
- Fuel consumption by plant type (gas, oil, diesel)
- Revenue collection & consumer count by tariff class
- Excel & CSV exports, updated annually
Iraq Electricity Flow
How Iraq's fuel inputs are converted into electricity and distributed to end-use sectors. Node width is proportional to energy volume (TWh).
Source: Iraqi Ministry of Electricity Annual Reports
Electricity Generation by Source
Source: Iraqi Ministry of Electricity Annual Reports
Supplied Power vs Needed Power
Source: Iraqi Ministry of Electricity Annual Reports