On Sunday, September 21, 2025, Iraq took a historic step toward addressing its chronic energy shortages by inaugurating its first industrial-scale solar power plant in the Karbala province, southwest of Baghdad. This milestone marks a significant shift for a nation long plagued by electricity crises, despite its abundant oil and gas reserves. The new facility, sprawling across approximately 4,000 dunams (1,000 acres or 400 hectares) in the al-Hur desert, is not only the largest solar plant in Iraq but also a symbol of the country’s growing ambitions in renewable energy.
The Karbala solar plant, with its tens of thousands of black panels arranged in neat, systematic rows, is designed to feed electricity directly into Iraq’s struggling national grid. According to Al Jazeera and other regional news outlets, the facility is expected to reach a peak capacity of 300 megawatts once fully operational. This output, while a fraction of Iraq’s overall energy needs, is a crucial first step in diversifying the country’s energy mix and reducing its heavy reliance on fossil fuels.
Safaa Hussein, executive director of the Karbala facility, described the project as a game-changer for Iraq’s energy sector. “This is the first project of its type in Iraq that has this capacity,” Hussein said, standing before the vast expanse of solar panels. He emphasized that the plant aims to “supply the national network with electricity, and reduce the fuel consumption especially during the daytime peak load, in addition to reducing the negative environmental impact of gas emissions.” From above, the site resembles a shimmering city of panels, a stark contrast to the surrounding desert sands.
The opening of the Karbala plant is only the beginning of Iraq’s solar ambitions. Nasser Karim al-Sudani, head of the national solar energy team in the Iraqi prime minister’s office, revealed that additional large-scale projects are already underway. A second solar plant in Babil province is under construction, expected to generate 225 megawatts, while a much larger 1,000-megawatt facility is planned for the southern province of Basra. These projects are part of a broader vision to ease the strain on Iraq’s national grid and to reduce harmful gas emissions, officials told Al Jazeera.
Adel Karim, Iraq’s Deputy Minister of Electricity, provided further insight into the government’s ambitious renewable energy strategy. He stated that Iraq currently has solar projects totaling 12,500 megawatts in various stages of development—from implementation and approval to active negotiation. If fully realized, these projects could supply between 15 and 20 percent of Iraq’s total electricity demand, excluding the semi-autonomous Kurdish region. “All the companies we have contracted with, or are still negotiating with, will sell us electricity at very attractive prices, and we will in turn sell it to consumers,” Karim said, though he declined to disclose the specific purchase rates.
The urgency behind Iraq’s push for renewables is clear. Despite its resource wealth, the country has suffered from decades of electricity shortages, caused by war, corruption, and poor infrastructure management. During the scorching summer months, when temperatures soar above 50 degrees Celsius (122°F), national power consumption can surge to nearly 55,000 megawatts. Yet, Iraq’s current electricity production hovers between 27,000 and 28,000 megawatts, leaving a gaping shortfall that leads to frequent blackouts and widespread reliance on diesel generators.
To bridge this gap, Iraq has leaned heavily on energy imports from neighboring Iran. About 8,000 megawatts of Iraq’s current electricity supply comes from power plants fueled by Iranian natural gas. Baghdad also imports electricity directly from Iran. However, this arrangement is fraught with complications. U.S. sanctions on Tehran have repeatedly disrupted Iraq’s ability to secure reliable imports. In March 2025, Washington revoked a sanctions waiver that had allowed Iraq to purchase electricity directly from Iran, though a separate waiver for natural gas imports remains in place for the time being. Iran’s own worsening energy shortages have further hampered its capacity to supply Iraq, compounding the crisis, as reported by Al Jazeera.
The frequent power outages and the government’s struggle to keep up with surging demand have become a source of frustration and hardship for ordinary Iraqis. Many households are forced to endure sweltering heat without air conditioning or to pay high prices for electricity from private generators. The opening of the Karbala solar plant, while not an immediate fix for all these woes, signals a shift toward a more sustainable and self-sufficient energy future.
Officials are keen to highlight the environmental benefits as well. By feeding solar-generated electricity into the grid, Iraq hopes to cut back on fuel consumption and reduce the negative environmental impact of gas emissions—a goal that aligns with broader global efforts to combat climate change. “These initiatives are part of a broader vision to meet a portion of Iraq’s energy needs through large-scale solar power, easing the strain on the national grid while also reducing harmful gas emissions,” an official told Al Jazeera.
Negotiations with international solar companies have also played a role in Iraq’s renewable energy expansion. Deputy Minister Karim noted that the government is securing electricity at highly competitive rates, a move that could make renewables more attractive for both state and private consumers. The hope is that as more projects come online, Iraq will not only reduce its dependence on volatile imports but also foster a new domestic industry around solar technology and infrastructure.
Still, the road ahead is not without obstacles. Iraq’s energy sector is haunted by a legacy of conflict, corruption, and underinvestment. Large-scale infrastructure projects often face delays, and the country’s regulatory environment can be unpredictable. Geopolitical tensions, particularly those involving Iran and the United States, continue to cast a shadow over Iraq’s energy security. Yet, the successful inauguration of the Karbala solar plant offers a glimmer of hope that, with sustained commitment, Iraq can begin to chart a new course.
As Iraq’s first industrial-scale solar plant begins to feed electricity into the national grid, the country stands at a crossroads. The coming years will test whether these ambitious projects can overcome the nation’s entrenched challenges. For now, the sea of solar panels in the Karbala desert represents a bold new chapter in Iraq’s quest for energy independence and environmental responsibility.