Iraq restores power supply following nationwide blackoutBAGHDAD/ERBIL,— Large parts of Iraq were without electricity Monday as a searing heatwave pushed demand beyond the capacity of the national grid, the Ministry of Electricity said. The ministry said the sudden loss exceeded 6,000 megawatts, forcing several power plants to stop operations. While most of the country faced the blackout, the northern Kurdistan Region remained unaffected. According to the electricity ministry, Iraq would need to produce about 55,000 megawatts to meet peak summer demand. Power went out in several central and southern provinces on Monday following a sudden shutdown at the Hamidiya power station in Anbar province, according to electricity ministry officials.