Iraq starts work on Shanghai Electric power plants to boost grid by 10,000 megawatts

BAGHDAD — Iraq’s Ministry of Electricity said it has begun implementing contracts with Shanghai Electric to build thermal power plants capable of generating up to 10,000 megawatts using domestically available fuel.

Ministry spokesperson Ahmed Moussa told the state-run newspaper Al-Sabah that the agreement with Shanghai Electric involves the construction of several thermal stations to produce the additional capacity. “The ministry has already started carrying out the procedures related to the contract to move forward with it and complete it,” he said.

The added generation is expected to alleviate pressure on the national grid. “It will contribute to addressing the bottlenecks facing the national grid, as it will relieve pressure on one side and achieve stability in supply hours on the other,” Moussa said.

As part of ongoing infrastructure upgrades, the ministry also announced the completion of the Qayyarah–Sharqat transmission line, which crosses parts of Nineveh and Salah al-Din governorates. The line includes 126 towers and was funded and implemented directly by the ministry. “Operating the line with self-effort and financing from the Ministry of Electricity’s account will help ease loads and increase the transmitted capacity in the northern areas, in addition to addressing bottlenecks and enhancing the performance of the national power system as a whole,” Moussa said.

The project is part of a broader load management strategy across governorates to improve flexibility and reliability in the grid, according to the ministry.

The latest steps follow four contracts signed in July 2023 between the ministry and Shanghai Electric to install combined-cycle units at power plants in Diwaniyah, Karbala, Hilla, and Khairat. Those agreements, signed under the Iraq–China framework, will add a combined capacity of 625 megawatts.