Iraq Awards Projects With 630 MW PV Capacity

• Iraq has awarded contracts to develop 2 solar power plants with 630 MW combined capacity
• Chinese companies have been reported by local media as having won the orders and have already started work on the same
• Projects will be set up as a 130 MW and another 500 MW solar projects in Southern Muthanna Governorate

Iraq's Ministry of Electricity has selected Chinese companies to build 2 solar PV projects with 630 MW combined capacity in Southern Muthanna Governorate who have already started work on these.

The projects have been awarded to the unidentified Chinese companies in line with a landmark agreement signed between Iraq and China in 2019, according to Reuters, which refers to local news reported by Alsabah newspaper.

One of the solar power plants will have 130 MW and the other 500 MW installed capacity and both will be located in different parts of the governorate.

In May 2022, Iraq's Minister of Electricity Adel Karim said the country was planning to build a 750 MW solar park in Al-Muthanna province (see Iraq To Build 750 MW Solar Park).

Previously, Iraq's government entered contracts with France's TotalEnergies, Norway's Scatec and Abu Dhabi's Masdar to build several large scale solar energy projects in the country (see Masdar Inks PV Projects Deal With Iraq).

Recently, Global Energy Monitor (GEM) reported about around 70 GW new utility scale solar and wind power capacity the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) regions have planned to come online by 2030; Iraq's share of solar power capacity stands at over 5.7 GW (see 73 GW+ Solar & Wind Projects Planned In MENA).