A NEW $4.9 MILLION ELECTRICAL SUBSTATION has increased power reliability for approximately 20,000 Iraqis in the southwestern portion of Babil. The substation, completed in early October, replaced an existing facility.

Local Iraqis performed the labor, which included the design and construction of a 33/11-kV switchgear building and guard house, as well as the installation of two transformers and new switchgear equipment. The local Iraqi economy was positively impacted for the past 10 months as 80 to 140 Iraqis worked at the site each week since construction began in January 2005.

Funded with Iraq Relief and Reconstruction Funds, the project was overseen by the Project & Contracting Office's (PCO's) electricity sector with quality control provided by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Gulf Region South. The electricity sector is one of four PCO sectors managing reconstruction projects throughout Iraq. The other sectors are oil, public works and water, and facilities and transportation.

In total, PCO's electrical sector is responsible for 434 projects valued at approximately $3.2 billion. This figure includes about $140 million of nonconstruction funds allocated for equipment and training. To date, the electricity sector has completed approximately 82 projects totaling an estimated $660 million. Currently, an estimated $1.3 million is being used on projects that are now in progress. This leaves $1.25 million for remaining projects. The majority of the 352 remaining electricity sector projects are scheduled for completion by December 2006.

The PCO is responsible for contract management and execution of nealy $12.1 billion of the $18.4 billion Iraq Relief and Reconstruction Fund designated by the U.S. Congress to support the reconstruction of Iraq. The office reports to the U.S. Department of the Army and the Department of Defense on matters relating to contracting and project management, and to the U.S. Department of State's Iraq Reconstruction Management Office on matters relating to project requirements and priorities.