French energy major TotalEnergies has initiated pilot operations of the first generating unit at its 1GW solar farm in Iraq’s Basra region.
Pilot commissioning has begun for the first 61MW unit, which will be gradually ramped up to its full 250MW capacity. The unit will be connected to the national grid via the New Rumaila and Souq Al Shuyoukh transmission lines, following technical plans prepared by the project’s engineering and supervisory teams.
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The company said the project is Iraq’s largest solar installation, comprising four 250MW units. Spanning nine kilometres, it will feature two million solar panels across the four units.
The Director General highlighted that bringing the first unit into trial operation marks a key milestone for both the company and the Ministry, underlining the project’s importance in diversifying Iraq’s power mix, particularly in Basra Governorate, where electricity demand is rapidly rising.
Announced in 2021, Basra solar farm is the second 1GW solar plant in the country built by TotalEnergies, with a US$10 billion investment in new gas networks and seawater treatment.
The project entails the installation of 132kV transmission lines spanning a total length of 180km, the construction of a new 132kV substation, and the rehabilitation and modernization of two existing substations under the ministry’s jurisdiction.
Additionally, TotalEnergies will manage operation and maintenance (O&M) for the project over a 25-year period. The solar farm will supply electricity to three secondary substations.
The plant is being built in partnership with Iraq’s Ministry of Oil announced in March 2021. In 2023, state-owned power company QatarEnergy entered as a third party with a 25% stake in the project. During the same period, Total confirmed Saudi energy provider ACWA Power would assist in developing the solar project.
In 2024, Iraq announced plans to deploy 12GW of solar PV capacity by 2030, according to the Iraqi National Investment Authority. Adviser Rahim Al-Jaafari said the Authority had begun issuing investment licenses, with around 7.5GW already allocated by the Council of Ministers and steps underway to assign the remaining capacity.
