Iraqi enterprise solar container power station

Will Iraq open its first industrial-scale solar power plant?

This aerial photo shows panels at a newly opened industrial-scale solar power plant in Karbala, Iraq, on September 17, 2025 [Anmar Khalil/AP] Iraq is set to open its first industrial-scale solar plant in a vast desert area in Karbala as the government attempts to tackle an electricity crisis that has led to widespread blackouts.

How many megawatts is a solar project in Iraq?

Nasser Karim al-Sudani, head of the national team for solar energy projects in the Iraqi prime minister’s office, said another project under construction in Babil province will have a capacity of 225 megawatts, and work will also begin soon on a 1,000-megawatt project in the southern province of Basra.

Could large-scale solar power plants help ease Iraq's electricity crisis?

The projects are part of a larger vision to account for a portion of Iraq’s electricity needs using large-scale solar power plants that could help ease the electricity crisis while also reducing the negative environmental impact of gas emissions.

Does Iraq have solar projects?

Deputy Minister of Electricity Adel Karim said Iraq has solar projects with a combined capacity of 12,500 megawatts either being implemented, in the approval process, or under negotiation.

How many megawatts will a new power plant produce in Iraq?

Authorities said the plant, the largest of its kind in Iraq, will be inaugurated on Sunday to eventually produce up to 300 megawatts of electricity at its peak, according to Iraqi media reports.

Will Iraq buy Iranian natural gas to feed its power plants?

The US has, for now, left another waiver in place that lets Iraq buy Iranian natural gas to feed its power plants. Iran is also facing multiple crises, including massive energy shortages, an issue that has affected its exports to Iraq. Iraq is advancing several solar power projects as part of a plan to meet its electricity needs.