Kerosene shortage worsens in Baghdad as queues lengthen

Shafaq News- Baghdad (Updated at 14:02)

A kerosene shortage in Baghdad worsened on Tuesday as lines of vehicles outside fuel stations grew longer, part of a supply crisis affecting most of Iraq in recent days.

The shortage, which extends to Baghdad and several provinces, stems from higher domestic demand as private neighborhood generators consume more fuel during the summer, alongside reduced output at several oil refineries, energy specialist Asem Jihad told Shafaq News, adding that the government supplies kerosene free of charge to private generators under a program to support power provision for citizens, while also meeting the needs of other sectors that depend on the fuel. “That has raised demand markedly at a time when domestic refineries cannot meet the full requirement, owing to limited production capacity and maintenance at some refining units.”

Read more: Fuel shortages paralyze Erbil gasoline stations

To cover the shortfall, the Ministry of Oil has turned to importing kerosene to sustain supply to private generators and local markets, Jihad said, considering this step a temporary measure until domestic refinery output increases and projects to develop the refining sector are completed.

Poor-quality Fuel Strains Iraq Generators

Owners of private electricity generators said the fuel used to run their machines has deteriorated in quality and become harder to obtain, causing repeated technical faults.

One owner, who runs three private generators, told Shafaq News that some of his machines had begun to run erratically because of the fuel, with sensors malfunctioning during operation and dragging down performance. "If the situation continues like this, we will be forced to stop the generators, because there is not enough fuel to run them."

Read more: Iraq’s energy emergency: Kerosene shortages disrupt power and daily life