Iraq approves solar energy plans to ease electricity shortages
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraq’s Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani on Thursday approved plans to introduce solar energy systems into Iraqi households, in a bid to ease the load on the national electricity grid and combat electricity shortages.
“During the meeting, a plan was approved to introduce solar energy systems for households by contracting reputable companies to reduce the load on the national power grid,” read a statement from Sudani’s office.
Sudani also approved a financial strategy to implement a plan from the Iraqi electricity ministry to provide electricity next summer.
“The meeting also approved the economic model for purchasing electrical power, developed after multiple meetings and followed up on by the Prime Minister, with recommendations from KBR, the government's advisory company,” the statement added.
For years, Iraq’s electrical grid has depended on gas imports from Iran to run its power plants. The country lost nearly 5,000 megawatts of power in July 2023 due to Iran completely halting the supply of gas to the southern regions of Iraq, as well as decreasing exports to Baghdad and other central provinces.
In late June, Iraq’s national investment commission signed an investment licence with French energy conglomerate, TotalEnergies, to develop a power plant with a capacity of 1,000 megawatts for the south of the country. The plant reportedly would supply clean energy for approximately 350,000 houses.
Despite its large oil and gas reserves, Iraq suffers from chronic electricity shortages, especially felt when summer temperatures exceed 50 degrees Celsius. In July, Ahmed Musa, the spokesperson for the Iraqi electricity ministry, told Rudaw that the Iraqi power system produces 27,450 megawatts of electricity, meanwhile, the required load is 48,000 megawatts.
Sudani has repeatedly described improving the country’s energy sector as one of the main priorities of his cabinet, stating on multiple occasions that Baghdad seeks to achieve self-sufficiency in gas and end the import of the natural resource within the next few years.
“During the meeting, a plan was approved to introduce solar energy systems for households by contracting reputable companies to reduce the load on the national power grid,” read a statement from Sudani’s office.
Sudani also approved a financial strategy to implement a plan from the Iraqi electricity ministry to provide electricity next summer.
“The meeting also approved the economic model for purchasing electrical power, developed after multiple meetings and followed up on by the Prime Minister, with recommendations from KBR, the government's advisory company,” the statement added.
For years, Iraq’s electrical grid has depended on gas imports from Iran to run its power plants. The country lost nearly 5,000 megawatts of power in July 2023 due to Iran completely halting the supply of gas to the southern regions of Iraq, as well as decreasing exports to Baghdad and other central provinces.
In late June, Iraq’s national investment commission signed an investment licence with French energy conglomerate, TotalEnergies, to develop a power plant with a capacity of 1,000 megawatts for the south of the country. The plant reportedly would supply clean energy for approximately 350,000 houses.
Despite its large oil and gas reserves, Iraq suffers from chronic electricity shortages, especially felt when summer temperatures exceed 50 degrees Celsius. In July, Ahmed Musa, the spokesperson for the Iraqi electricity ministry, told Rudaw that the Iraqi power system produces 27,450 megawatts of electricity, meanwhile, the required load is 48,000 megawatts.
Sudani has repeatedly described improving the country’s energy sector as one of the main priorities of his cabinet, stating on multiple occasions that Baghdad seeks to achieve self-sufficiency in gas and end the import of the natural resource within the next few years.