Return of power brightens Iraqis
by Cesar G. Soriano, USA TODAY
usatoday.com
BAGHDAD — For the first time since Baghdad fell April 9, the capital city and most of the country have enjoyed four straight days without a significant outage.
Coalition officials are optimistic they can keep the lights on because sabotage and looting has dropped and electricity output is near prewar levels. Cooling temperatures have also helped.
"The power situation has not been this good since before the Kuwait war," says security guard Majid Abdul Reza, 27. Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990.
The lack of electricity has angered Iraqis and created problems for the U.S.-led coalition. Coalition officials hope the restoration of power will blunt some of the opposition.
At the 3,000-employee State Company for Leather Industries, production of shoes, jackets and other leather-goods is up 15% since Saturday, says foreman Mohammed Madhi. "When there is power, there are jobs." .
Iraqis grew accustomed over decades to frequent outages, thanks to wars, sanctions and an aging infrastructure. President Saddam Hussein would also regularly cut off power to areas as a form of punishment.
But the latest war and widespread looting afterward devastated the power grid, plunging much of the country into darkness. Frequent sabotage and looting slowed progress in restoring power. Until recently, most homes and businesses in Baghdad had partial electricity service. Power would be on for several hours and then off for a similar amount of time.
"We have been working day and night to restore the power," says Mahmud al-Assadi, spokesman for Iraq's Electricity Ministry.
Power output reached 4,461 megawatts this week, exceeding the prewar level of 4,107 megawatts in February. A year ago it was 4,867 megawatts. But electricity demand is down now because many factories and businesses are closed.
Coalition officials say they want to build enough capacity to generate 6,000 megawatts, anticipating more demand as businesses begin operating again and Iraq attracts foreign investment.
"I can finally sleep at night without having to listen to the roar of generators," says Najem Abid, 42, a Baghdad factory worker. Most Iraqi homes and businesses have generators and the roar can be deafening on Baghdad streets. The price of small home generators dropped from $140 to $65 in the last week.
Fadi Abdula Ameir al-Saher's small jewelry store now stays open three hours longer, until 9:30 p.m. "Everything is much better than it was even last week," he says. "In terms of security, women and families can feel safe shopping after dark."
Electricity has its downside. "Now the children will not leave the house," says Lamia Younis, a mother of four. "They just sit at home all day watching satellite TV."
President Bush has asked for $5.7 billion to renovate the country's electrical grid, the largest price tag of any program in his $20.3 billion Iraqi reconstruction plan.
Bush administration officials have expressed frustration that success stories in Iraq are not reaching Americans and this week the White House announced a publicity offensive.
The campaign will include a series of speeches by Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney and National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice, as well as high-profile trips to Iraq by Cabinet secretaries. The trips will illustrate progress, such as the reopening of schools and the introduction of a new currency.
The moves come as a skeptical Congress begins work on Bush's $87 billion proposal for Iraq and Afghanistan. While the administration is confident of winning something close to Bush's proposal, the bill has become a target for Democrats hoping to weaken the president's hand and for some Republicans uncomfortable with its cost. |
