VZCZCXRO6967
PP RUEHBC RUEHDA RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK
DE RUEHGB #4144 3541913
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 201913Z DEC 07
FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4964
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

UNCLAS BAGHDAD 004144 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL ENRG ETRD IZ CH
SUBJECT: EPRT-WASIT: WASIT'S NEW CHINESE POWER PLANT 
 
¶1. (SBU) On 17 December Wasit Governor Abd al-Latif Hamad 
Turfa told Team Leader ePRT and CDR 214th FB that he 
accompanied the Minister of Electricity to China to witness 
the signing of a power plant contract between the GOI and 
Shanghai Heavy Industry for the construction of a power plant 
that will generate "over 1,200 megawatts" of electricity. 
Turfa said the completion of the contract was the culmination 
of two years of negotiations between the Chinese company and 
the GOI based on discussions that began during the Saddam 
Hussein regime.  He initially claimed that the plant would be 
"100 percent staffed by Iraqis" but later noted that an 
advance team of "Chinese employees" would arrive in Wasit in 
six months. (Note: The Governor is not known for his mastery 
of details on most issues. End note.)  The plant will be 
located in Zubaydiyah, a small town on highway six (Alternate 
Supply Route Bismarck) between Al Aziziyah and An Numaniyah. 
However, Turfa said the director would have an office in 
Amman, Jordan. 
CROCKER