Iraqi minister says govt workers not exempt from power cuts; urges people to limit AC

BAGHDAD – BAGHDAD (AP) — An Iraqi minister warned government workers Friday against using their influence to escape the country's widespread power cuts and urged people to cut down on air conditioning as temperatures soared.

Many Iraqis get fewer than six hours of electricity each day, despite billions of dollars spent trying to fix the nation's power grid since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion. The outages led to violent protests last week as temperatures climbed to 120 degrees Fahrenheit (50 degrees Celsius).

Hundreds took their grievances to the streets again Friday in Kufa, 100 miles (160 kilometers) south of Baghdad. Protesters were chanting "Where is the electricity," and accused the government of not fulfilling its promises of providing people with services.

The acting electricity minister Hussain al-Shahristani said the government has taken steps to meet the increased power demand and urged patience from Iraqis.

"Brothers, if you do not cooperate ... the problem will persist because there is no magic wand or miracle that can solve the problem," al-Sharistani said at a news conference Friday.

"I call upon the people who have more than one air conditioning unit to use only one in one room," he said.

Al-Shahristani added that government employees who are trying wriggle out of the cuts will be charged with abuse of power.

Earlier this week, two protesters were killed in the southern oil hub of Basra after a demonstration over power outages turned violent, prompting security forces to open fire.

The crisis already has led to the electricity minister's resignation and poses a major test for Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki as he struggles to keep his job amid bickering over the formation of a new government more than three months after national elections. It also complicates efforts to stabilize the country as the U.S. military prepares to withdraw its forces by the end of next year.

Al-Shahristani, who is also the oil minister, took over the electricity portfolio Wednesday after his predecessor resigned in the wake of the deadly protest in Basra.