According to reports, the Electricity Minister of Iraq said Monday that Iraq plans to give more solar power projects to foreign firms in 2023. The combined capacity of these projects is nearly 5,000 megawatts (MW).
Minister Adel Karim stated that the Ministry has already signed contracts with several foreign companies to construct solar power stations with a total capacity of 7,500 MW.
Karim stated that the projects recently awarded were only part of a phase one of a comprehensive Ministry plan to increase reliance on renewable energies. He was quoted in Aliqtisad News, as well as other Iraqi publications.
We are looking to sign new agreements with several regional and international companies in order to build more solar power plants that will produce 5,000 MW, he said.
Iraq has signed multibillion-dollar deals with Total Energy of France and Abu Dhabi-based Masdar to build seven large solar power stations in different parts of the country, he added.
Iraq has set a goal to increase renewable energy production to 10 gigawatts by 2030.
Official data shows that Iraq produces almost 19,000 MW of electricity, but the actual demand is estimated at 30,000.
Imports from Iran make up a large portion of the shortage, and there are plans for additional power supply through power grid connections to neighboring Jordan or Gulf countries.
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