The first phase of Iraq’s largest solar project to date has begun operating.
The Karbala solar power plant, located in the Karbala governorate of central Iraq, has begun producing 22 MW of electricity and according to a statement published by the Iraqi News Agency, is expected to reach 75 MW within two months.
The project, first announced as part of Iraq’s first solar tender in 2019, is eventually expected to reach a capacity of 300 MW.
The first phase of the project was inaugurated by Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani who, during the ceremony, confirmed that Iraq’s Ministry of Electricity is moving forward with a comprehensive solar energy strategy, with further projects to be launched soon.
Iraq has set a target of deploying 12 GW of solar power by the end of the decade, up from an existing 42 MW at the end of 2024.
In July, France’s TotalEnergies began building a 1 GW solar project in southern Iraq, with the first 250 MW expected to come online before the end of the year. A month earlier, US-based developer UGT Renewables unveiled plans to build a 3 GW solar project in Iraq under a deal with the federal government that also includes 500 MWh of energy storage.
Iraq’s first solar-powered village began operating in May, the same month a 2 MW solar array was switched on at the government palace.
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