Shams Basra solar project begins operations with 250 MW
Shafaq News- Basra
The first phase of Iraq’s Shams Basra solar power project entered operational service with a capacity of 250 megawatts, while the second phase is expected to launch in July, raising output to 500 megawatts before reaching its full capacity of 1,000 megawatts, a project official told Shafaq News on Monday.
Project director Haider Issa said Shams Basra, implemented by TotalEnergies in cooperation with Iraq’s Electricity Ministry, is among the Middle East’s major strategic renewable energy projects due to its scale and the vast area it covers, estimated at around 9,000 dunams (about 2,220 acres).
“Regional conditions and fluctuations in maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz delayed the arrival of some equipment and materials required for the project, though work remains ongoing,” he stated.
In December 2025, Iraq signed a renewable energy agreement with a US–UK company to develop a 3,000-megawatt solar power project supported by 500 megawatts of battery storage and 1,000 kilometers of high-voltage transmission lines, as part of broader efforts to diversify electricity sources.
Iraq continues to rely on oil and gas to power its electricity sector, a dependence that has contributed to chronic shortages, expected to reach 11 gigawatts during peak summer demand in 2026, and left the country vulnerable to fuel supply disruptions and sanctions-related pressures tied to Iranian gas imports. At the same time, renewable energy still accounted for only 1.17% of Iraq’s electricity mix by the end of 2024, placing the country fifth among Arab states with the lowest reliance on renewables energy.
Read more: Iraq power 2026: war on Iran collapses the grid's last defenses ahead of peak summer
