The "ECO Iraq" observatory concerned with economic affairs confirmed today, Saturday, that the national system still relies 41% on buying energy from investment projects and connections with neighboring countries, while hydroelectric generation has sharply declined to about half due to the worsening water scarcity crisis.
The observatory stated in a statement received by the "Video News Agency" that this information came through analyzing the annual statistical report of the Ministry of Electricity for the year 2025, indicating that "the total electricity production in Iraq during the year 2025 reached about 170 million megawatt-hours, amounting to 170,123,456 megawatt-hours."
The observatory explained that "the government-owned stations belonging to the Ministry of Electricity, including gas, steam, hydroelectric, and diesel stations, contributed 59% of the total national energy," adding that "the remaining 41% was secured through purchasing energy from investment companies operating within the country and connections with neighboring countries."
ECO Iraq stated that "the ministry's report showed a decline in the production of hydroelectric stations by nearly 50.8%, as it dropped from about 3.48 million megawatt-hours in 2024 to about 1.71 million megawatt-hours in 2025," attributing this decline to "the drought crisis and low water levels in dams and river tributaries."
The observatory pointed out that "the report also revealed other technical challenges, represented by a decrease in thermal efficiency of some gas and steam stations to less than 20%, along with the shutdown of stations and transmission lines for months due to delayed maintenance work and a shortage of spare parts."
The Ministry of Electricity attributes the decline in electricity supply hours to several factors, including reduced gas supplies and violations on the electrical network, at a time when most provinces are experiencing widespread power outages.
Iraq has been suffering for decades from a chronic crisis in the electricity sector, which worsens during the summer with rising temperatures, and despite successive government plans and large expenditures in the sector, supply levels remain below citizens' expectations.