German firm to build three power plants in Iraq
(AFP)
1 August 2004
1 August 2004
AMMAN - The German firm Elbe Maschinenbau has signed an accord to build three power plants in Iraq, a company official said yesterday. Iraqi Energy Minister Ayham al-Samarrai and Ekbe Maschinenbau's deputy chairman Bel Khorchani signed the deal late Friday in the Jordanian capital Amman, the official told AFP.
A 550-megawatt and a 100-megawatt plant are planned, while the deal gives the Hamburg-based company an option on a 240-megawatt facility.
It will be the company's first project with the Iraqi energy ministry. The US-led coalition handed over power to an interim Iraqi government on June 28 without having reached a target of providing Iraq with 6500 megawatts a day.
Current output is estimated at 4800 megawatts, and power is provided only 10 to 12 hours a day.
Before the US-British invasion of Iraq in March 2003, daily output was close to 4400 megawatts.
The Iraqi energy ministry said it managed to achieve the pre-war production levels -- which did not meet Iraqi needs then -- in October 2003.
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