ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – Iraq’s electricity minister on Tuesday directed the formation of an investigative committee to probe the recent nationwide power outage and to submit its findings within 24 hours.

Provinces in southern and central Iraq on Monday suffered a complete power outage due to faulty transmission lines, amid rising temperatures reaching nearly 50 degrees Celsius. The electricity ministry announced a gradual return of power in some provinces later in the evening.

According to a document seen by The New Region, Electricity Minister Ziyad Ali Fadhil ordered the formation of a committee consisting of Director General of the Operations and Control Department Yahya Abbas Jaber, Director General of the Legal Department Khaled Walid Hadi, and the Assistant Director General of the Technical Department Mohammed Shawkat Jassim.

“The committee will conduct an investigation into the complete power outage that occurred on Monday, August 11, 2025, and will submit its findings and recommendations within 24 hours,” read the document.

The outages in Iraq mark a stark contrast with the Kurdistan Region's energy infrastructure, where nearly three million people now enjoy uninterrupted 24/7 electricity thanks to the Runaki initiative, with more households and cities being added to the fold continuously until the entire Region is covered under the program by 2026.

Iraq has long relied on imports of electricity and gas from Iran, which account for between 30 to 40 percent of its energy needs. These imports are especially crucial during the summer months, when temperatures can reach 50 degrees Celsius and energy demand peaks.

Baghdad, however, has faced difficulties paying for these imports due to US sanctions, which restrict payments to Iran to non-sanctioned goods such as food and medicine.