Siemens to build 5 new power plants to develop Iraq’s national grid

Ahmed Musa, revealed on Tuesday that Iraq’s Electricity Ministry agreed with Germany’s Siemens Energy to develop a plan to enhance the electricity sector in Iraq.

Musa told Shafaq News that the steps agreed upon include the construction of five power plants in different Iraqi governorates, including the capital, Baghdad.

The Iraqi official clarified that five new power plants will provide 7,500 megawatts of electricity as each will have a production capacity of 1,500 megawatts, confirming that work is underway to develop electricity transmission in Iraq.

The agreement with Siemens Energy includes specific financial allocations to build the power plants agreed upon, according to Musa.

The new power plants will be part of the ministry’s plan for the next three years.

The Iraqi Prime Minister, Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, launched on Monday the executive work to expand the Haidariyah and Najaf power plants with a capacity of 495 megawatts.

These projects are part of the strategic agreement with Siemens Energy to complete power plants in Najaf, Karbala, Baghdad, Basra, and Diyala with a total capacity of 7,500 megawatts, according to a statement released by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).

Musa revealed last week that Iraq currently produces a little more than 27,000 megawatts, while the country needs 48,000 megawatts to cover domestic electricity consumption.

Iraq heavily relies on gas imports from Iran but has recently invested in many projects to start taking advantage of flared gas and using renewable energy to generate electricity.

Gas imports from Iran are extremely important for Iraq to generate electricity. However, US sanctions imposed on Iran make it difficult for Baghdad to pay for the Iranian gas.

Iraq witnesses daily power outages that may last up to 10 hours, but things worsen during the scorching summer when the temperature exceeds 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit).

The Iraqi Minister of Electricity, Ziyad Ali Fadel, announced in mid-March that an agreement had been signed with Siemens Energy to turn flared gas into fuel within six months.

Fadel confirmed that the agreement is part of the efforts of the Iraqi government to stop gas flaring and use it to generate electricity.