In a striking new chapter for Iraq’s energy sector, the country has inaugurated its first industrial-scale solar power plant in the sun-baked deserts of Karbala province, southwest of Baghdad. The opening, which took place on Sunday, September 21, 2025, marks a significant step in Iraq’s ongoing struggle to provide reliable electricity to its citizens—a challenge that has persisted for decades despite the nation’s vast oil and gas reserves. The move toward renewable energy comes as Iraq faces chronic power shortages, soaring summer temperatures, and mounting environmental concerns.
From an aerial view, the new solar plant resembles a sprawling black city, its tens of thousands of solar panels stretching across some 4,000 dunams (around 1,000 acres or 400 hectares) in the al-Hur area of Karbala. According to Associated Press and multiple Iraqi media outlets, the facility is the largest of its kind in the country and is designed to eventually produce up to 300 megawatts of electricity at peak capacity. That’s a substantial addition to Iraq’s national grid, which has long struggled to keep up with demand, especially during the brutal summer months when temperatures regularly exceed 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit).
Safaa Hussein, the executive director of the Karbala solar plant, stood among the gleaming rows of panels and described the project’s ambitions. “This is the first project of its type in Iraq that has this capacity,” Hussein told AP. He emphasized the plant’s dual mission: “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.” The hope is that by harnessing the relentless Iraqi sun, the country can not only ease its electricity shortages but also cut down on the pollution generated by traditional fossil fuel plants.
The Karbala facility is just the beginning. Nasser Karim al-Sudani, head of the national team for solar energy projects in the Prime Minister’s Office, outlined the government’s broader ambitions. Another solar plant, currently under construction in Babil province, is expected to add 225 megawatts of capacity. Meanwhile, a massive 1,000-megawatt project is set to break ground soon in the southern province of Basra. These efforts are part of an ambitious national plan to implement large-scale solar power projects and, ultimately, to ease Iraq’s chronic electricity shortages.
Deputy Minister of Electricity, Adel Karim, provided further details about the scale of Iraq’s renewable energy aspirations. As reported by AP and Al Jazeera, Iraq currently has solar projects with a combined capacity of 12,500 megawatts either being implemented, in the approval process, or under negotiation. If all these projects come to fruition, they could supply between 15% and 20% of Iraq’s total electricity demand—excluding the semi-autonomous northern 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 stopped short of revealing the exact purchase rates.
The urgency behind these projects is clear. Despite its oil and gas wealth, Iraq has suffered from decades of electricity shortages, a problem rooted in war, corruption, and years of mismanagement. Power outages are a fact of life for many Iraqis, especially during the sweltering summer months. When the grid fails, people often have no choice but to rely on noisy, polluting diesel generators—or simply endure the heat. Nationwide electricity consumption now ranges from 50,000 to 55,000 megawatts, according to Deputy Minister Karim. In contrast, the country’s current production hovers between 27,000 and 28,000 megawatts, leaving a yawning gap that’s felt in homes and businesses across Iraq.
To fill this gap, Iraq has become heavily reliant on imported energy from neighboring Iran. Power plants fueled by Iranian natural gas contribute about 8,000 megawatts to the current supply, and Iraq also imports electricity directly from Iran. However, this arrangement is fraught with complications. Earlier this year, the United States ended a sanctions waiver that allowed Iraq to purchase electricity directly from Iran, though it left in place a waiver for natural gas imports. This move, part of ongoing U.S. efforts to pressure Tehran over its nuclear program and regional activities, has added another layer of uncertainty to Iraq’s already precarious energy situation.
Iran itself is grappling with its own energy crises, which have occasionally disrupted the flow of gas and electricity to Iraq. As Al Jazeera reported, Iran’s internal shortages have sometimes forced it to cut exports, leaving Iraqi cities in the dark at the worst possible times. The result is a complex web of political, economic, and technical challenges that have made it difficult for Iraq to achieve energy security through traditional means.
Against this backdrop, the shift toward solar power represents both a practical necessity and a bold vision for the future. The government’s plan to dramatically expand solar capacity is not without obstacles—financing, technical expertise, and long-term maintenance all pose significant challenges. Yet, the scale of the projects under discussion signals a real commitment to change. If successful, Iraq’s solar initiative could serve as a model for other oil-rich countries seeking to diversify their energy mix and reduce their environmental footprint.
The environmental benefits of solar power are especially important in a country like Iraq, where air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions are persistent concerns. By reducing reliance on fossil fuels—particularly during the daytime, when air conditioning and industrial demand peak—the new solar plants could help mitigate some of the negative impacts of Iraq’s current energy system. As Safaa Hussein put it, the goal is to “reduce the negative environmental impact of gas emissions,” a priority that resonates with both local communities and international observers.
Still, the path ahead is anything but straightforward. Iraq’s electricity sector is notoriously complex, shaped by decades of conflict, shifting political alliances, and underinvestment. Many Iraqis remain skeptical about whether the new solar projects will deliver tangible improvements in their daily lives. Yet, the sight of thousands of solar panels glinting in the Karbala desert offers a powerful symbol of hope—and a reminder that even in the most challenging circumstances, innovation is possible.
As the sun rises over the vast expanse of the Karbala plant, Iraq takes a step forward on its journey toward energy self-sufficiency and environmental responsibility. The coming years will reveal just how far this new dawn can reach.