Iraq and Turkiye launch new power grid connection

Shafaq News/ Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani inaugurated the new Iraq-Turkiye power grid connection project on Sunday, according to a statement from his office.

The project aims to enhance Iraq's national power grid by linking it with Turkey's, providing an additional boost to the country's energy system.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Al-Sudani highlighted the significance of the project, which had been on hold since 2004 despite being planned since the 1990s. "Today, it has been completed in coordination with the Turkish Ministry of Energy," he said.

"The importance of this project lies in establishing Iraq's first international electricity connection with neighboring Turkiye and subsequently with the European Union. This is a strategic move for future energy security," Al-Sudani added.

Al-Sudani noted that following successful electricity grid links with Jordan and now Turkiye, Iraq aims to connect with Kuwait and the GCC by the end of this year. The next step will be linking with Saudi Arabia, which will integrate Iraq into the regional energy system, enabling energy diversity and exchange during peak load periods.

Iraq is enhancing its electricity grid through several regional connections. The Iraq-Jordan link, now operational, supplies al-Rutbah, with plans to extend to al-Qaim by year's end. The cabinet has approved a link with Turkiye to provide 300 megawatts to the northern region.

The Gulf interconnection will add 500 megawatts to Basra, and a separate link with Saudi Arabia will initially supply 1,000 megawatts.

Despite these efforts, Iraq continues to rely on Iranian gas. However, it has signed a preliminary agreement with Turkmenistan and plans to develop a solar power capacity of 6,000 megawatts to diversify its energy sources.

"Grid interconnection will offer additional power supply, improve grid reliability, and allow Iraq to secure the electricity it needs to enhance overall performance and stability," the Ministry of Electricity spokesperson Ahmed Moussa told Shafaq News Agency. "However, it is not a standalone solution and won't eliminate our reliance on Iranian gas."