And that was in statements to the Minister of Electricity to the Iraqi News Agency, in which he said:
Our visit to Egypt made it possible to address a certain number of axes linked to the field of energy and we had a meeting with the Egyptian Minister of Electricity. The most important of the issues that have been discussed is the Iraqi, Jordanian and Egyptian electricity connection. We have completed 85% of the connection lines with Jordan, and we expect the line to be ready and start feeding from Jordan within 3 months. The second stage of connectivity will be between Egypt and Jordan through the national grid, becoming a triple connection. The second axis of the visit is to present our desire to discuss the participation of Egyptian companies and investors in the investment map prepared by the Ministry of Electricity in the field of renewable energy projects, including energy 2,000 megawatt solar, which will be offered within the next month. We learned about the Egyptian experience and discussed with the Egyptian Minister of Electricity the plan that Egypt followed in contracting with Siemens. The vision and plan prepared by the ministry aims to produce 11,500 megawatts in the next phase, with 4,000 megawatts of solar power and 5,000 megawatts of units installed. The implementation of this plan will lead to the stability of the electricity network.
Advantages of electrical connection
Experts believe that the launch of electricity interconnection projects between Iraq and the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council on the one hand, and with Jordan and Egypt on the other hand, opens the doors to the improvement of the reality of Iraqi electricity by providing the national system with thousands of megawatts of energy, and strengthens the basis of common interests between it and these Gulf and Arab countries.
They considered that the resolution of the electricity shortage crisis will have a positive impact on the various productive, vital and development sectors in Iraq, and will contribute to establishing climates of political and social stability and to attracting investments, in particularly in the fields of renewable energies, which are reliable. contribute to increasing the country’s electricity productivity, in particular through solar energy.
Academic and director of the Al-Amsar Center for Strategic and Economic Studies, Raed Al-Azzawi, said in an interview with Sky News Arabia:
The electricity interconnection with Egypt and Jordan is a strategically important project, especially since it will enhance the opportunities and chances of trade, economic and development exchanges between the three countries, and open up wide horizons for integration between them. This will help solve the electricity shortage crisis that has plagued Iraq for decades. It is true that 11,000 megawatts will not solve the crisis, but it is an increase that can greatly improve the electrical reality of the country, which will considerably reduce the deficit in securing electrical energy, which is almost reaching the limits of 40%, with a shortage of about 15,000 megawatts, given the annual increase in electricity consumption rates and the high demand for it, due to demographic, urban and economic expansion. Border power line and grid areas, especially in Anbar Governorate, are promising and full of investment opportunities, and they can develop into major industrial and economic areas, attracting Gulf investment and capital. , Arabs and foreigners. Thus, the idea of electrical interconnection is enjoying great success on a global scale, and creates spaces for partnership and integration of development between contracting and electrically interconnected countries. Benefiting from the enormous experiences and capabilities of Egypt and Jordan in this particular sector will benefit Iraq by dispensing with buying electricity from other countries such as Iran and Turkey, thus contributing to the modernization of its dilapidated electricity infrastructure, such as the connection with Egypt and Jordan is easier and less expensive, and is also in the context of improving the return of Iraq to its Arab strategic environment and space .
Iraq generates about 23,000 megawatts of electricity, while the country needs about 35,000 megawatts to ensure 24-hour power supply.
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