The Mandawa and Taq Taq hydropower projects in the semi-autonomous Kurdish region of northern Iraq have been put on hold, while the Gomaspan dam scheme is progressing very slowly, as the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) focuses on the threat from the jihadist group Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (Isis).

Designs for the Mandawa dam (621MW) and the Taq Taq dam (350MW), both build-operate-transfer (BOT) deals, have been completed by Serbian firm IK Consulting Engineers. However, implementation has been postponed due to the threat from Isis and budgeting issues, according to the KRG.

Work on the Gomaspan dam by Turkey’s Atac and Erbil-based Senk continues very slowly. Only road excavation works are currently under way, and the project is being redesigned.

The KRG is working on multiple hydropower projects to meet Iraq’s huge shortfall in electricity generation.