Iraq's power grid with the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is moving ahead but no agreement has been reached yet on pricing, Iraq’s Electricity Minister said in press comments.
Adel Karim said the project to link Iraq’s power network with that of Jordan would be completed in summer 2022 when bulk of the infrastructure work would be finished.
“The project for the power connection with Jordan is progressing smoothly and will be completed on time next summer,” Karim told Iraq’s state television.
He said the link with Jordan and other internal power projects would add nearly 6,000 megawatts (MW) to Iraq’s electricity generation capacity by summer.
He said conventional and renewable energy projects have boosted power production in Iraq to 21,000 MW in 2021 and output is projected to increase to 35,000 MW in 2022.
Iraq, which controls the world’s 5th largest recoverable oil deposits, has been locked in a massive programme to rehabilitate its war-devastated energy sector through domestic projects and power connection with neighbouring countries.
Officials said this year those projects would allow the country to achieve self-sufficiency and gradually end reliance on power imports from nearby Iran.
