Iraq descended into a state of total chaos Wednesday evening when a crippling collapse of the national power grid plunged all 18 provinces into darkness. The blackout that started around 7:40 PM local time has been taking place as the country is on a knife-edge due to an ongoing regional war between three powers, the United States, Israel, and Iran.
Fueling the panic, residents in Baghdad say emergency sirens blared from the fortified Green Zone, especially from the U.S. Embassy compound. The sirens, audible across the Tigris River, indicated a high-security “shelter-in-place” order as grid blackouts fueled concerns about opportunistic militia attacks.
Technical disaster in war zone
The Ministry of Electricity verified nationwide shutdown and first announced a “total functional collapse” of the transmission network. Officials on Thursday morning down-sized the motive to a sudden fuel shortage at the Rumaila gas power plant in Basra. A technical malfunction led to a sudden loss of 3,000 megawatts sending a “voltage collapse” that cascaded through an aging power grid.
The ministry has officially blamed the failure on technical issues, but the timing has fueled questions. Iraq is still heavily reliant on Iranian gas to power its turbines supplies that have been critically constrained since the start of hostilities earlier this week. The Bad:
Sirens and Skirmishes in the Capital
As lights went out all over the capital, the security situation in Baghdad worsened. For days pro-Iranian protesters have been trying to storm the Green Zone after Iran’s Supreme Leader was assassinated.
Despite the blackout, the U.S. Embassy has been able to operate independently on backup generators at all times. On Wednesday night, however, an activation of C-RAM security system sirens suggested that there may be a possible drone or rocket threat nearby the airport, also near the diplomatic mission.
Green Zone Clashes: In the pitch-black streets security forces used tear gas and water cannons to push back mobs of demonstrators that lined up near July 14th Bridge. Local hospitals at the time reported dozens that experienced respiratory distress; smoke from burning tires filled and scattered them.
Impact of the Regional Civil War
The blackout is the latest blow to an Iraqi government that struggles with its neutrality. Since coordinated U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian territory began on February 28, Iraq’s airspace has been a pipeline for missiles and drones. Going Forward: A Fragile Recovery The Ministry of Electricity has started a process of “phased restoration” of the grid, with hospitals and water pumping stations topping the list.
But as the Middle East war in its sixth day enters the next and global oil prices continue to skyrocket, the energy crisis in Iraq is likely to continue. U.S. Mission Iraq has recently reiterated its travel warning, advising all American citizens to keep their distance and refrain from going inside the International Zone at all until the grid (and security) is ready to restore.
