MP: More than $70 billion spent on electricity with no tangible results
MP: More than $70 billion spent on electricity with no tangible results
8-10-2026
Information/Baghdad…
MP Riyadh Adai confirmed on Monday that the electricity sector is suffering from major problems due to corruption and mismanagement, explaining that the funds spent on the sector in recent years have not had a tangible impact on the country’s electrical grid.
Adai told the Information Agency, “The electricity sector is suffering immensely due to corruption and mismanagement, especially since more than $70 billion has been spent over the past years—an amount equivalent to the budgets of entire countries—without any tangible results on the ground.”
He added, “The electricity crisis recurs every summer, with citizens suffering from limited supply and frequent outages.” He pointed out that “the problem is no longer related to funding, but rather to the way the sector is managed, the mechanisms for spending funds, and the implementation of projects.”
Adai noted that “every summer, Iraqi citizens hear numerous promises from officials in the Ministry of Electricity regarding improving supply and addressing the energy shortage, but these promises have not translated into real results on the ground.” He called for “serious and sustainable solutions to the electricity issue and for holding those responsible accountable.”
It is reported that financial losses in Iraq’s electricity sector have exceeded $150 billion, with a production deficit exceeding 60% and 50% of the energy lost through the grid, while the country needs 60,000 megawatts. The crisis is exacerbated by administrative corruption involving 2,645 defendants, amidst annual operating costs of 49 trillion dinars, including 27% for ghost employees.
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