Iraq Approves Plan to Build 120 Solar Power Plants

Iraq has approved a plan to build more than 120 solar power plants in various parts of the country as part of a strategy to raise the share of clean energy and support the stability of the national electricity grid.

The National Renewable Energy Team has devised a plan to execute the project, which will be funded by revenues from electronic billing across all types of energy systems.

Chairman Naseer Karim said that approval by each governorate is expected soon for the implementation of the project as part of efforts to introduce smart and rapid solutions to power shortages in several areas.

Karim noted that locations have been designated for the integrated solar power plants, adding that they will be connected to the distribution network via medium-voltage lines at 11 and 33 kilovolts (kV), depending on the distance between the substation sites and existing distribution lines.

“Electricity produced by these substations will operate with high efficiency due to their proximity to load centres, which will reduce technical problems associated with the lines, minimize energy losses during transmission, and contribute to improving the efficiency of the electricity supply in those areas,” he said.