On July 24, 2025, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’al-Sudani visited the site of the 1GW photovoltaic power plant project at Ratawi in Basra province in southern Iraq, which is of great significance to Iraq's energy transition and sustainable development.
The 1GW Ratawi PV project is located about 70 km from Basra city and covers the design, procurement, construction and commissioning of the PV plant site and the 132-kilovolt boost station, with an AC side capacity of 1GW. This project is the very first large-scale project in the Iraqi government's plan for photovoltaic construction. Once completed, it will greatly help Iraq to diversify its energy structure and reduce its excessive dependence on oil resources.
During the inspection, the project leader gave a detailed briefing to the Deputy Prime Minister on the progress of the project. Construction of the project is now steadily progressing, with the first phase expected to be operational by the end of this year, when the first 250 MW of power connected to the grid. According to the plan, the follow-up phase will also gradually start production in the coming years. When fully operational, the project will not only provide clean and reliable electricity to thousands of homes and businesses, it will also effectively relieve the strain on the Iraqi grid during peak demand periods, as well as reducing dependence on expensive electricity imports, and helping Iraq meet its national emissions targets.
Ziyad Ali Fadhil, Iraqi Minister of Electricity, had said that the project was crucial to Iraq's energy development, it would take advantage of Iraq's rich solar energy resources to inject new impetus to the country's economic and social development. The visit by the Deputy Prime Minister fully demonstrates the importance the Iraqi government attaches to the project and its firm determination to promote the energy transition. With the gradual advancement of the 1GW photovoltaic power solar farm project in Ratawi, the nation is facing broader prospects in the field of sustainable energy.