1st Lt. Tiffany Bilderback
Fires Sqdn., 2nd Stryker Cav. Regt., MND-B
BAGHDAD – Iraqi Ministry of Electricity representatives, local Public Works Battalion electrical specialists, United States Army Corps of Engineer representatives and Coalition Forces conducted a joint assessment of the regional to local electrical power network Jan. 22 to improve power distribution in the eastern and central Agur Quf area north of Baghdad.
The Ministry of Electricity representatives have begun several local repairs to lines running from the Sa’ad sub-station, which is located north of Baghdad, with the help of locally hired Public Works Battalion workers from the village Fira Shia.
An estimated 85 percent of the necessary repairs have occurred and the remainder of the repairs are projected to be completed within a week, said Maj. Tim Hunt, who hails from Dupont, Wash., and serves as the Fires Squadron’s executive officer. The local Nahia representatives worked closely with the Ministry engineers and the labor force was provided by the Nahia’s Public Works.
“The local leaders from Fira Shira and the surrounding area have worked very diligently with the Government of Iraq officials within their Nahia and Qada to achieve great results, said Hunt. “The security provided by the Concerned Local Citizens, and their brave actions to remove the influence of al Qaeda and other criminal elements, has clearly set the conditions for improving essential services and economic development in their area.”
Despite the improved security and economic growth, there continues to be challenges with national power generation. But as the power generation capability improves, the residents in the Agur Quf areas will benefit due to the cooperation between local government leaders and the ministries within the Government of Iraq.
Ministry of Electricity officials and members of the Public Works Battalion discuss the way ahead in improving electricity in the Agur Quf area Jan. 22.
U.S. Army photo by Maj. Tim Hunt, Fires Sqdn., 2nd Stryker Cav. Regt., MND-B
