French energy company TotalEnergies has secured agreements to develop gas and solar PV infrastructure in Iraq after it signed agreements with the Iraqi Ministries of Oil and Electricity and National Investment Commission.
For solar PV, the agreement mandates TotalEnergies to invest in the development of 1 GW AC capacity of solar electricity generation to supply clean energy to Basra regional grid. In addition, it will construct gas gathering network, and treatment units, along with a large-scale seawater treatment unit. Altogether the projects will incur a total investment of close to $10 billion.
According to an AFP report, the solar power project will be located in Artawi, near the southern port of Basra.
In March 2021, when TotalEnergies was still Total, the company was reported by local Iraqi media reports to have signed an initial agreement signed with the Ministry of Electricity to build 1 GW solar PV capacity (see Total To Build 1 GW Solar Capacity In Iraq).
Present in Iraq's oil and gas exploration and production business since 1920s, TotalEnergies said Iraq is facing shortage of electricity while it experiences an increase in electricity demand despite having ample of natural resources. The country recently also roped in Abu Dhabi's Masdar to develop a minimum of 2 GW solar PV projects and China's Power China to set up another 2 GW PV capacity (see Power China To Build 2 GW PV In Iraq).
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