"Strengthening the national grid and scaling up its stability is a focal priority for us as demand for power in Iraq increases due to a growing population and to support industries and development projects in the country,” said Khalid Attia, director general, Electricity Transmission Company for Northern Region in Iraq. The project is funded by Germany's state-owned development bank KfW. Rebuilding Iraq's power infrastructure, damaged by decades of war, is high on the government’s list of priorities. A crippled utility network has been a key factor behind protests across provinces during summer months, when temperatures can easily soar to 50°C and above.