While most of the capital Baghdad and other southern governorates are experiencing power outages 90% of the time, the neighborhoods of Zayouna, Yarmouk and al-Harthiya in Baghdad governorate, where electrical services is fully privatized, have uninterrupted electricity. The discrepancy has gotten people talking about privatizing the entire power sector in Iraq.

While analysts believe the solution to the power outages lies in privatization, outgoing Electricity Minister Majed Hantoush warns that privatizing electricity will cost citizens one million dinars per month.

Opposition to electricity privatization emerged during the time when former Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi was still in office. In a speech Dec. 6, 2017, Abadi said, “The parties that are inciting the public against electricity privatization are the rich, who do not pay and consume two-thirds of public power consumption.”

When Mustafa al-Khadimi became prime minister, the first steps toward privatization began, with the selling of power plants in al-Basra Governorate on Jan. 28 to private companies.