PHOTO
OPEC oil producer Iraq is planning to award more solar power projects to foreign companies in 2023 with a combined production capacity of nearly 5,000 megawatts (MW), the country’s Electricity Minister was reported on Monday as saying.
Adel Karim said the Ministry has already finalised contracts with a number of foreign firms to build solar power stations with a total generation capacity of 7,500 MW.
“The projects awarded recently were just part of phase one of a comprehensive plan by the Ministry to expand reliance on renewable energy,” Karim said, quoted by Aliqtisad News and other Iraqi publications.
“There are plans to sign new contracts with a number of regional and international companies to build more solar power stations that will produce 5,000 MW.”
Karim did not mention the potential firms to be awarded such contracts but Iraq has signed multi-billion-dollar agreements with Total Energy of France, Abu Dhabi-based Masdar and other companies to build seven major solar power stations in various parts of the country.
Sitting atop the world’s fifth largest recoverable oil deposits, Iraq has set a target to boost renewable energy production to 10 gigawatts (GW) by 2030.
According to official data, Iraq currently produces nearly 19,000 MW of electricity but its actual needs are estimated at 30,000 MW.
A large part of the shortage is met by imports from nearby Iran while there are plans to get additional power supplies through power grid connections with neighboring Jordan and Gulf countries.
(Writing by Nadim Kawach; Editing by Anoop Menon)
