In first, Iraq signs deal to plug into Gulf power grid

Iraq on Sunday signed a landmark deal with the Gulf Cooperation Council for a transmission line that would import 500 magawatts of electricity to its overstretched grid by 2020. The 300-kilometre (200-mile) transmission line would run from Kuwait to Iraq's southern port of Faw and be financed by the GCC, according to the electricity ministry. It is the second deal the ministry signed in as many days to boost electricity supply in Iraq, where generation falls about 9 gigawatts below estimated demand of some 24 GW.