The International Energy Agency (IEA) have just released its second report concerning Iraq’s energy sector. The report, an update to the 2012 report, has been published at a crucial time for Iraq with Islamic State (IS) defeated and significant efforts required to repair damaged and destroyed energy infrastructure.  

• Iraq needs to develop its domestic energy infrastructure, in particular, those in the electricity sector;
• Electricity demand is set to double by 2030, however, Iraq does not produce enough electricity to satisfy demand and the gap is widening;
• The IEA has identified short-term measures to produce the most immediate pressures. These include the rapid deployment of mobile power units; upgrading of some existing power plants; network maintenance, targeting a small number of high-impact upgrades; and the enforcement of tariffs for all neighbourhood generations;
• Medium-term measures include network maintenance and upgrades; refurbish existing power plants; increase tariff collection; and reform grid tariffs to incentivise efficient use of electricity;
• There is a huge potential to cut network losses, which are among the highest in the world. IEA have estimated that reducing these losses by half would help to increase the available capacity by one-third;
• Diversification and reform of the economy away from oil and gas remains a long-term challenge;
• Iraq is the fifth largest oil and gas producer in the world, however, further growth can be facilitated by the Iraqi authorities: ensuring sufficient water for injection; attracting foreign capital; and a conducive political and security environment; and
• Iraq needs to take advantage of its potential renewable power generation and allow the full implementation of gas flaring reduction projects. This would increase power generation, reduce costly imports, free up oil for export and allow for expansion of Iraq’s petrochemical industry.

The report can be downloaded from the IEA website:

https://www.iea.org/newsroom/news/2019/april/new-iea-report-provides-practical-roadmap-to-address-iraqs-electricity-shortfall.html

EAME has been active in Iraq since 2010 and has been has recently undertaken Environmental and Social Due Diligence (ESDD) audits and Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA), on behalf of Export Credit Agencies (ECAs), for a series of substations across Iraq as well as a temporary power station outside of Basra.

EAME is pleased to provide access to the concise Non-technical Summary (NTS) for the IDP Substations Project that covers the proposed development of 15 electrical substations across Iraq.  

This document has been prepared by Earth & Marine Environmental Consultants (EAME), on behalf of the Client, GE Power – Grid Solutions (GE).

The overall objective of the Project is to develop 12 new substations and extend three existing substations. The substations will connect existing power plants to the national grid. The substations and extensions to substations are required, in accordance with the National Development Plan (NDP) 2013 – 2017, to provide a reliable electrical supply to all consumers.

018-1625 GE IDP Substation Project Concise NTS REV01 Arabic Translation

David Wells, Technical Director – Iraq Projects, attended the recent Business Forum and Spring Conference organised by the Iraq-British Business Council (IBBC). Held at Central Hall and Mansion House, London, the events marked the 10^th anniversary of the founding of IBBC. Although EAME has only recently become full members of IBBC, EAME has been active with IBBC for a number of years and fully supports it efforts to encourage and support British companies in Iraq.

The Spring Conference was entitled ‘Iraq – Financing a Modern Economy’ and there was much discussion concerning the success of UK Export Finance (UKEF), the UK’s Export Credit Agency (ECA), in supporting a number of large, nationally-significant infrastructure projects. EAME is proud to have supported UKEF with the environmental and social risk management of several of these projects. 

David commented ‘the conference was very well attended and the numbers of attendees grows year on year. It was good to develop new relationships as well as reaffirming existing associations. There is real optimism concerning the redevelopment of Iraq, however, significant issues remain – political instability, the difficulty of private companies to work, corruption and an overreliance on the oil and gas industry.’

 EAME is an environmental and social consultancy operating in Iraq since 2010. EAME provides a range of services including environmental and social impact assessment (ESIA) and environmental and social due diligence (ESDD) which allows international funders, developers, companies and Export Credit Agencies (ECAs) to manage their environmental and social risks in a challenging environment.

The World Bank has just released its economic update for Iraq and is generally positive:

• The economy is picking up with real GDP estimated to grow by 0.6%.
• Iraq has recently signed several trade agreements with its neighbouring countries.
• Reconstruction effects are ongoing.
• Outlook has improved due to higher oil prices as well as the improving security situation.
• Constraints on capital spending will impede a recovery-driven growth.
• Challenges remain due to political risk, oil dependency and the regional situation.
• Social conditions remain challenging reflecting under investment and weak institutional capacity.

Further details can be found here: http://pubdocs.worldbank.org/en/300251553672479193/Iraq-MEU-April-2019-Eng.pdf

EAME is an environmental and social consultancy operating in Iraq since 2010. EAME provides a range of services which allows international funders, developers, companies and Export Credit Agencies to manage their environmental and social risks in a challenging environment.

EAME attended the recent conference organised by IEHS-UK ‘Cancer and Environmental Pollution In Iraq: Etiology, Clinical Presentation & Management’ held at University College London.  Panel topics were very pertinent to the current environmental and social challenges that Iraq is currently facing and included a particularly useful discussion relating to the role of media in raising awareness of environmental pollution.

EAME is an environmental and social consultancy operating in Iraq since 2010. EAME provides a range of services which allows international funders, developers, companies and Export Credit Agencies to manage their environmental and social risks in a challenging environment.