From The Associated Press, 3/14/06:
http://www.newspress.com/Top/Article/article.jsp?Section=WORLD&ID=564699573042677138
Electricity hits bottom as U.S. engineers wind down their effort in
Iraq
CHARLES J. HANLEY and SAMEER N. YACOUB, Associated Press Writers
BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) -
Electricity output has dipped to its lowest point in three years in
Iraq, where the desert sun is rising toward another broiling summer
and U.S. engineers are winding down their rebuilding of the crippled
power grid.
The Iraqis, in fact, may have to turn to neighboring Iran to help bail
them out of their energy crisis - if not this summer, then in years to
come.
The overstressed network is producing less than half the electricity
needed to meet Iraq's exploding demand.
American experts are working hard to shore up the system's weaknesses
as 100-degree-plus temperatures approach beginning as early as May,
driving up usage of air conditioning, electric fans and refrigeration.
If the summer is unusually hot, however, ''all bets are off,'' said
Lt. Col. Otto Busher, an engineer with the U.S. Army's 4th Infantry
Division.
''We're living miserably,'' said housewife Su'ad Hassan, a mother of
four and one of millions in Baghdad who have endured three years of
mostly powerless days under U.S. occupation.
Her family usually goes without hot water and machine washing, she
said, and ''often my children have to do their homework in the dim
light of oil lamps.''
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Good job, Mr. presidunce.
Harry
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