IRAQ: AT THE END OF THE FORMAL U.S.-LED OCCUPATION IRAQIS STILL WONDER WHEN THEIR ELECTRICITY WILL BE RESTORED
Record ID:
648437
IRAQ: AT THE END OF THE FORMAL U.S.-LED OCCUPATION IRAQIS STILL WONDER WHEN THEIR ELECTRICITY WILL BE RESTORED
- Title: IRAQ: AT THE END OF THE FORMAL U.S.-LED OCCUPATION IRAQIS STILL WONDER WHEN THEIR ELECTRICITY WILL BE RESTORED
- Date: 1st July 2004
- Summary: (U7) RASHDIA, NEAR BAGHDAD, IRAQ (JUNE 26, 2004) (REUTERS) 1. WIDE OF NEWLY OPENED ELECTRICITY POWER PLANT; POWER PLANT; WORKERS AT THE POWER PLANT (7 SHOTS) 0.40 2. IRAQI PRIME MINISTER IYAD ALLAWI TOURING POWER PLANT 0.45 3. (SOUNDBITE) (English) ALLAWI SAYING: "We will tell them (Iraqis) that we will be doing our best to regain our capabilities in providing essential services to the Iraqi people. We will tell them and we are already telling them that the terrorists and the enemies of Iraq are trying to undermine the process of restoring the services whether it's the electricity or whether it's the water." 1.10 (U7) BAGHDAD, IRAQ (JUNE 27, 2004) (REUTERS) 4. SLV WORKERS REPAIRING ELECTRICITY LINES; SHOP OWNER TURNING ON POWER GENERATOR AFTER POWER CUT; CLOSE OF POWER GENERATOR (8 SHOTS) 1.54 5. MV THAER HASHEM, ANOTHER SHOP OWNER, SWITCHING ON ELECTRICITY 2.02 6. (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) HASHEM SAYING: "Sometimes, the electricity is gone from early morning until the afternoon. Then when we get the power back, it's only for an hour and then it's gone again. So I sit there, for one hour and sometimes two hours for it to come back on." 2.16 7. SLV EXTERIOR OF MAMA AYSER NURSERY SCHOOL; CLOSE OF SIGN READING 'MAMA AYSER CENTRE'; CHILDREN IN NURSERY SCHOOL FANNING THEMSELVES BECAUSE OF HEAT; SCU ELECTRIC FAN NOT IN USE BECAUSE OF CUT IN ELECTRICITY; CHILDREN IN NURSERY (4 SHOTS) 2.46 8. SCU GIRL SAYS 'IT'S TOO HOT'; CHILDREN WIPING SWEAT OFF THEIR FACES 2.55 9. (SOUNDBITE) (English) MAMA AYSER, WHO RUNS THE NURSERY SAYING "The main problem we are facing now is the electricity. It's really such a big problem because every three hours they give us approximately two hours, they give us. During these two hours, usually they cut it two or three times, which means that every twenty minutes we are cut off." 3.20 10. CHILDREN LEAVING NURSERY 3.28 11. LAS WORKERS REPAIRING POWER LINES 3.40 (U7) BAGHDAD, IRAQ (JUNE 25, 2004) (REUTERS) 12. MV MAYOR OF BAGHDAD, ALA TAMIMI SITTING IN HIS OFFICE 3.44 13. (SOUNDBITE) (English) TAMIMI SAYING "Baghdad city's population is about six million and about 30% of these people are not served by water and sewage. So really we need a lot of work to maintain this basic services to Baghdad city." 4.13 (U7) BAGHDAD, IRAQ (JUNE 27, 2004) (REUTERS) 14. VARIOUS OF WORKERS REPAIRING ROADS (4 SHOTS) 4.35 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 16th July 2004 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: RASHDIA, NEAR BAGHDAD AND BAGHDAD, IRAQ
- Country: Iraq
- Reuters ID: LVA301CVKS2GGU9UFB72RSS658YO
- Story Text: At the end of the formal U.S.-led occupation, Iraqis
are still wondering when their electricity would be
restored.
U.S. formally handed Iraq self-rule two days early
on Monday (28 June). Just days ahead of the official
handover, a new electric power plant was opened near Baghdad.
Iraq's interim prime minister spoke on Saturday (June 26, 2004)
about the new government's plans.
"We will tell them (Iraqis) that we will be doing our
best to regain our capabilities in providing essential
services to the Iraqi people." Iyad Allawi told workers at
a power plant.
But fourteen months after a war that promised Iraqis a
better life, Iraqis still spend up to 14 hours a day
without power to run even a fan or fridge in soaring
temperatures -- and the peak of summer is yet to arrive.
Plans to boost Iraq's power production to 6,000
megawatts by June have fallen short. Power hovers at the
woefully inadequate 4,400 megawatt prewar level, hitting a
peak of 4,900 megawatts on June 20.
Engineers say U.S. companies awarded most of the
electricity contracts have misjudged the extent of repairs
needed on the system, especially at dilapidated power
plants. Looters and saboteurs who tried to undermine the
handover to Iraqi rule have struck cables and oil pipes.
Baghdad residents complain they had more power under
Saddam Hussein, who deprived much of Iraq to feed the
capital.
Thaer Hashem, a tailor who owns a shop in central
Baghdad, tries the electricity switch to check if the power
has come but with no luck. He says that he spends most of
his days, waiting for the power to come on.
"Sometimes, the electricity is gone form early morning
until the afternoon. Then when we get the power back, it's
only for an hour and then it's gone again. So I sit there,
for one hour and sometimes two hours for it to come back
on," said Hashem.
But Iraqis who can afford their own generators have
long since given up waiting for the lights to flicker on.
Some entrepreneurial souls have taken advantage of
shortages, installing big generators and plugging in
neighbours for a fee.
With the hot summer, those who cannot afford a
generator have to cope, regardless who or where they are.
"The main problem we are facing now is the electricity.
It's really such a big problem because every three hours
they give us approximately two hours, they give us. During
these two hours, usually they cut it two or three times,
which means that every twenty minutes we a cut off" says
Mama Ayser, who runs a nursery school.
The U.S.-led authority says its efforts to restore a
power infrastructure ruined by neglect and a decade of
sanctions mean breakdowns are more localised and easier to
fix.
Baghdad's mayor says that there is still a lot of work
to be done before essential services are restored.
"Baghdad city's population is about six million and
about 30% of these people are not served by water and
sewage. So really we need a lot of work to maintain this
basic services to Baghdad city" Ala Tamimi said.
Trucking in parts and fuel along roads scoured by
bandits and insurgents ups the cost and delay, say Iraqi
plant managers.
A Russian firm working on a Baghdad power plant sent
scores of staff home in April after some of their
colleagues were murdered by guerrillas and others were
briefly held hostage.
Iraq's electricity minister says the country is bracing
for more attacks.
Even if attacks wane, demand for electricity is growing
exponentially as Iraqi consumers get their hands on
imported electrical appliances scarce under 1990-2003
sanctions.
But until electricity and other services are restored,
Baghdad will continue to face a long, hot and uncomfortable
summer.
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