TotalEnergies has begun work on a 1,000-megawatt (MW) solar power plant in Basra, Iraq. The project is part of an energy agreement signed in 2023. It includes the installation of two million solar panels. The plant is expected to supply electricity to hundreds of thousands of homes. TotalEnergies and QatarEnergy each hold a 50% stake in the project.
The project is one of several energy initiatives in Iraq aimed at increasing electricity production. Along with solar power, the agreement includes developments in oil and gas fields, a seawater desalination plant, and efforts to reduce gas flaring. Construction is scheduled to take place in stages, with completion expected between 2025 and 2027.
Iraq plans to add 12 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy capacity by 2030. Several companies have been awarded contracts to develop solar projects. Taqa and Acwa Power are working on seven solar plants with a combined capacity of 7.5 GW. In addition to large-scale solar farms, smaller renewable energy projects are being developed across different regions.
In Najaf, a 30 MW solar plant is being developed to provide electricity to local communities. Anbar province is setting up a 10 MW solar farm to support factories and businesses. In Karbala, a 3 MW project is supplying power to government offices. In Diyala, a 1.5 MW off-grid solar system is providing electricity to rural areas. Baghdad is testing a floating solar system on a reservoir, with an initial capacity of 5 MW. In Maysan, a 2 MW hybrid solar-diesel system is in operation to improve energy access in remote locations.
Other smaller projects include a 4 MW solar power system at an industrial complex in Wasit, helping reduce reliance on the national grid. A 2.5 MW solar plant in Basra is being used to supply electricity to a water treatment facility. In Sulaymaniyah, a 1 MW solar project is under construction to power public lighting systems.
