Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 22
By Fatih Karimov – Trend:
An Iraqi delegation is scheduled to visit Tehran this week to discuss resuming electricity import from Iran, which is suspended since Jan. 1, the Islamic Republic’s deputy energy minister, Houshang Falahatian said.
He added that Iran has stopped electricity export to Iraq, because the related contract expired, Fars news agency reported Jan. 22.
He further said that a new contract should be signed between the parties, adding that the details will be discussed during the visit of Iraqi delegation to Tehran.
Falahatian also said that Iraq owes Iran over $1.2 billion for electricity import.
Early in January an Iranian delegation traveled to Iraq to discuss extending the electricity export deal.
At that time, Arash Kordi, the managing director of Iran Power Generation, Distribution and Transmission Company, said that Iran is expected to resume electricity export to Iraq within one month.
Iran was exporting 700-1,000 MW of electricity to Iraq under the previous contract.
The country exported 9.88 billion kWh of electricity last fiscal year (ended March 2016), of which 69.1 percent went to Iraq.