The Ministry of Electricity revealed today, Monday, a plan to add 20,000 megawatts to the national grid from thermal and solar power stations, while indicating that work is underway to convert gas stations from open cycle to combined cycle to increase their output.
The spokesman for the ministry, Ahmed Turki Jiad, stated in a press interview that "the electricity problem in Iraq is not a new issue, but started in 1990, and worsened in the mid-nineties due to the lack of spare parts and the blockade, and its repercussions continued until 2003."
He added that "the period following 2003 saw significant jumps in electrical loads, coinciding with the increase in population, expansion of buildings, projects, factories, and commercial shops, which resulted in a continuous increase in the demand for energy that matched the increase in production."
Jiad explained that "the current production of the system ranges between 20,000 and 22,000 megawatts, while the loads during peak summer, amidst existing violations on the grid, indicate that Iraq needs amounts reaching up to about 60,000 megawatts," noting that "informal settlements and violations on the grid significantly contribute to the increase in the load size."
He continued, "Since the Minister of Electricity assumed his duties, he has laid out a comprehensive plan that includes production and distribution, along with the expansion of energy transmission networks," revealing that "the production plan operates within three main axes."
He pointed out that "the first axis includes converting the existing gas stations from open cycle to combined cycle, which allows increasing energy production from the stations themselves," emphasizing that "the work carried out in this area during the previous period has achieved positive and good results."
He noted that "the other axis came after the initiative of the Prime Minister, as the ministry prepared a comprehensive plan to add 10,000 megawatts from thermal stations, and specified the sites where these stations will be established."
He added, "The plan also includes the establishment of solar power stations with a capacity of up to 10,000 megawatts, and the proposed sites for their construction have been identified," indicating that "the ministry is currently awaiting financial allocations to commence the contracting procedures for these projects."
He explained that "the shift towards thermal stations came due to their reliance on available fuel types, at a time when the ministry is trying to avoid large expansions in gas stations due to the scarcity of gas."
Jiad confirmed that "increasing production alone is not enough to address the electricity issue, as demand for energy continues to grow with the increase in population, projects, and economic activities, therefore the ministry has set parallel plans for production, transmission, and distribution to address the system’s components in a comprehensive manner."