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June 26, 2004

Baghdad , IRAQ -- “Putting megawatts on the grid” has been the mantra of U.S. Army Corps of Engineer’s electrical infrastructure rebuilding efforts in Iraq .  Leaders of the new Iraqi government took time Saturday to recognize the incredible reconstruction effort by the Corps during an informal ceremony at the Qudas Power Plant north of Baghdad .

“This is a very important project that will contribute electricity to Iraq and is another step forward in rebuilding Iraq and restarting services,” said Prime Minister Ayad Allawi.  “It is a present to the Iraqi people from the United States executed by the engineering corps of the U.S. military.  We are very appreciative and (give) thanks for the efforts that have gone into this project.”

The Qudas Project consists of six new generators which will ultimately add 422 MW of new generation to the national Iraqi power grid – almost a 10 percent increase to the current level.  The first of these six generators, Unit #3, is completing commissioning and punch list processes and should be online within a few weeks.  The remaining generators are scheduled to be completed before the end of August.

The $145 million Qudas project, executed under a contract with Fluor, and using hundreds of local Iraqi workers, is but one example of more than three dozen new generation, rehabilitated generation, transmission, distribution or switching projects managed by the Restore Iraqi Electricity (RIE) Directorate of the Gulf Region Division, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Currently the national capacity is near 4800 MW, it reached an all-time peak this past week by surpassing 4900 MW for the first time in a generation for much of Iraq .  However, as capacity has increased, so has the demand as more Iraqis purchase air conditioners, freezers, and other appliances as markets have opened under the liberation.

Dr. Aiham Alsammarae, Minister of Electricity, was also on-hand to unveil the new project and touted the continued effort to improve the electrical capacity of Iraq .

Since last September, the RIE effort has added more than 1300 MW to the national grid and is on track to add 2000 MW total by the end of summer despite attacks on the infrastructure by terrorist groups in theater.

The forces of evil in Iraq have been trying to hurt our infrastructure and the civilians, said Allawi.  “The forces of evil will not win.”

“I would like to thank the United States , the leadership of the United States and President  Bush for help and (providing) assistance that you can see here in this very important project,” Allawi said.

Maj. Gen. Ronald Johnson, commander of the Gulf Region Division, was on hand at the ceremony to represent the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in recognition of the country wide effort.

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