Postwar Iraq has a number of difficulties, one of which is the lack of reliab le electrical power. The electrical grid had been suffering there since the end of the first Gulf War, when maintenance slipped on an aging system. The second Gulf War did not damage much of the electrical infrastructure, but the choas and instability following the fall of Saddam Hussein did more damage than the war could have. Now the Us and other countries are three years into the largest postwar reconstruction project in the history of the world and they still face serious challenges.

Iraq's intermittent and unreliable electricity has hampered the ability of Iraqis to rebuild their country, stay informed of local news, and cool themselves in the hottest weather. The people polled say that restoring the electricity is the most important issue requiring a government solution. The US and other countries have pledged $60 billion towards reconstruction, but the insurgency has prevented that work from being carried out. Security costs are now about a third of any construction or maintenance work and transmission lines can't be built because they can't be secured. These are just some of the problems that IEEE Spectrum executive editor Glenn Zorpette encountered when reporting on the electrical power situation in postwar Iraq.