Trial operation of the first generating unit of Iraq’s 1 GW Basra solar power plant is underway.
An update from the Iraqi Ministry of Electricity explains 61 MW from the first of four 250 MW units has begun operating. It adds that loads will be increased sequentially until the first unit reaches its full 250 MW capacity, at which point the plant will be connected to the national grid via the New Rumaila and Suq al-Shuyukh transmission lines.
The power plant is set to cover an area of approximately 9,000 dunams (900 hectares) in the southeastern governorate of Basra once it reaches its full capacity. Full commissioning is expected by 2028.
The project broke ground last July. It is being built by France’s TotalEnergies, which holds a 45% stake in the project. Basrah Oil Co. holds 30% and QatarEnergy holds the remaining 25%.
According to details on TotalEnergies’ website, the plant is being divided into four units to adapt more easily to the capacity of the local grid. The developer adds that the project will supply electricity to 350,000 homes in the region and will contribute to the Iraqi government's goal of meeting 12% of its energy needs from renewable sources by 2027.
Iraq aims to deploy 12 GW of solar power by the end of the decade. According to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the country had 42 MW of solar by the end of 2024.
The Basra plant is Iraq’s first gigawatt-sized project under construction. In September, the first phase of a 300 MW solar site in the Karbala governorate of central Iraq entered operations. Last June, US-based developer UGT Renewables signed a contract with the Iraqi government to build a 3 GW solar project.
Iraq's customs authority recently reduced customs duties on solar systems from 33% to 5% in a bid to encourage greater solar uptake.
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