Iraq surpasses pre-war electric power levels

[DanS]

A couple of points.

(1) I have heard from an acquaintance who has relatives in Nasiriya and he says they're getting much more electricity now than before the war. What some sections of Baghdad had before the war was a dream to the rest of the country.

(2) Because of the perceived security situation, all of the reporters are focused on Baghdad, which is getting less power now than before the war. Given this, it is not surprising that the reporters will get bombarded with talk about how bad the power situation is. It will be at least a year before the situation seems to Baghdaders to be sorted out.

(3) Our military isn't taking power off of the grid. Saddam's military took quite a bit off the grid. ~ 1/4th of total output, IIRC.

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by Sandman




Source

"The acts of sabotage have shown just how fragile the system is. When saboteurs brought down several power lines and transmission towers, the nation's output dropped to 700 megawatts per day, when demand stands at around 6000 MW per day."


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thanks for the source. Interesting that it quotes a demand figure thats closer to the CPA statement than to Iraqi ministry statements. Also they dont source their 700 mw statement, while CPA sources to - guess what - the Ministry. Seems more like normal govt confusion over statistics, not a big lie. Note also that its from august. Note also that coalition plans to bring power back, discussed in the article, seem to have have been fulfilled.

Iraq Today is interesting - apparently the most quoted English Language Iraqi media outlet. They have lots of interesting stuff, and its good to have thieir on the ground presence.

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by DanS
A couple of points.

(3) Our military isn't taking power off of the grid. Saddam's military took quite a bit off the grid. ~ 1/4th of total output, IIRC.

Interesting.

[DanS]

Demand was and is at 6 or 7,000 MW. Supply has been a fraction of that since 1991.

[Chemical Ollie]

When the Iraqi people has electricity back, that's great news. I am kinda suspicious about any news telling me that, but it's not unbeliavable. But what about the water supply and sewer treatment?

[Lord Merciless]

There are people in Iraq who don't want the power to be delivered to Bagdhad and the Sunni Triangle. New York Times showed a picture with several toppled transmission towers. Apparently many sabotages to the transmission system (not the generation) were carried out by power company workers themsevles.

[St Leo]

Originally posted by yavoon


perhaps just fire a bunch of cruise missiles in? liberals did always like the bark and not the bite.

Provoked by... what exactly?

[Ted Striker]

monicagate

[The Mad Monk]

Originally posted by yavoon


not totally fair. I imagine bush would attack a lot of these. the result isnt a mirror of his views because they've been passed through the lens of the politically practicable.

I think bush would invade a ton of imminent threats. but iraq happened to be good for a couple of reasons.

1)we had a cease fire w/ them they were breaking everyday.

2)they had oil so we could rebuild easier

3)they were relatively more secular thanother ppl in the middle east.

4)we had a UN resolution we could go on.

among other things for varrying ppl. iraq fit the bill of places bush would like to invade that he could have pulled off.

It's also in great position to threaten Syria, Iran, and Saudi -- who we don't have to depend on anymore.

[The Mad Monk]

Originally posted by Chemical Ollie
When the Iraqi people has electricity back, that's great news. I am kinda suspicious about any news telling me that, but it's not unbeliavable. But what about the water supply and sewer treatment?

Generally, that requires electricity, so it's probably lagging.

[Ted Striker]

We should send Gray Davis to Iraq as the Electricity Administrator, as soon as he gets recalled.

[:) Smiley]

nah. Davis ought be sent to the electric chair.