• The Iraqi Electricity Ministry stated on September 1 that Iranian gas supplies to Iraq have been reduced from 49 million cubic meters per day to eight million cubic meters per day.   
• This causes the Iraqi power system to lose 5500 megawatts of energy, which may lead to serious power shortages in central and southern Iraq.  
• On September 2, the National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC) announced that the reduction was in accordance with scheduled plans and is not related to the Iraqi debt for gas supplies. 

1. Iraq has been dependent on supplies from Iran to meet domestic electricity needs. Iraq has outdated power infrastructure, due to which disruptions of electricity and water supply are commonplace. Recently, Tehran has periodically reduced or suspended gas deliveries due to the Iraqi government’s failure to settle unpaid bills. Iran has also hindered exports to Iraq against the backdrop of shortages in Iran itself, for which Tehran decided to allocate energy resources to meet its domestic needs amid the current hot summer days.
2. FORECAST: Following the latest development, the risk of power and water outages in central and southern Iraq will be extremely higher over the coming days. Furthermore, particularly in the southern Basra Province, power cuts adversely impact the functioning of water pumps for drinking water that are located along the canals of the Shatt al-Arab River. Thus, disruptions to water availability in the case of extensive power outages, particularly in the Basrah Province, cannot be ruled out over the coming days. Such a scenario will also exacerbate anti-government sentiments among the Iraqi public and may trigger waves of civil unrest. 

Electricity:

1. Those operating or residing in central and southern Iraq, including Basra, are advised to take necessary precautions to secure business continuity in the event of power cuts or shortages. Measures should include confirming that business locations have working generators, sufficient access to fuel for longer periods, and access to a number of flashlights. Ensure that you have instructions to start the generators and solve potential problems. 
2. Ensure you have spare batteries for flashlights.  
3. Ensure you have fully charged electronic devices such as cellular phones, laptops, and tablet computers ahead of the planned power outage, and initiate energy-saving functions on these devices as needed. Consider purchasing solar charges for the business for multiple devices. 
4. Disconnect all surge-prone devices such as computers, televisions, and appliances to prevent potential damage, or, consider installing power surge electric adaptors for all main sockets feeding multiple or sensitive devices. 

Water:

Ensure you have an adequate supply of bottled water, and consider accumulating tap water in appropriate, sealable containers to provide for hygiene and cooking.