- Heatwave affects electricity supply across major cities in the Middle East
- Temperatures soaring above 50 degrees celsius
The heatwave currently sweeping the globe has resulted in challenges in the electricity supply for the Middle East. With temperatures soaring above 50 degrees celsius in some major cities, residents have been left with severe power outages. In addition, businesses and residential customers in Baghdad, Lebanon and Iran have suffered severe power outages in the past weeks.
Years of poor maintenance and low investments in the electricity supply network has impacted these cities. Protests have erupted in Iran, Lebanon and Iraq amidst rising tempers. Irans outgoing President Hassan Rhouhani issued an apology following protests on poor electricity supply. According to Amnesty International, Iran’s security forces responded to the protests by firing live ammunition at protesters, killing at least eight. In Iraq, huge protests on the poor supply happened in major cities like Basra.
Across the region, officials are asking consumers to reduce consumption to reduce the impact on the already weak grid infrastructures. In addition to the heatwave, Iran’s grid has been the victim of terrorist attacks, with the recent attack taking out two transmission towers.