The Iraqi government and China's Shanghai Electric Group Co., Ltd. have launched in-depth negotiations on cooperation for a large-scale power project with a total installed capacity of 10 gigawatts. This major cooperation project aims to effectively solve the problem of power supply shortage faced by Iraq for a long time, marking a new level of cooperation between China and Iran in the energy field, and also demonstrating the active participation of Chinese enterprises in infrastructure construction in the Middle East under the framework of the joint construction of the the Belt and Road.

According to the Arab business news website Zawya, the Iraqi Ministry of Electricity is in detailed negotiations with China's Shanghai Electric Group Co., Ltd. regarding this major project. The project plans to construct multiple power stations, which will significantly enhance Iraq's electricity supply capacity. Iraqi officials have revealed that the cooperation will include the construction of new coal-fired power plants, gas-fired power plants, and renewable energy generation facilities. The specific implementation plan is still under further negotiation.

Iraq has long been plagued by a shortage of electricity supply, especially during the hot summer season when electricity demand surges and frequent power outages occur. The latest data from the International Energy Agency (IEA) shows that the total installed capacity of electricity in Iraq in 2024 is about 26 gigawatts, but the actual available capacity is far below this figure and cannot meet the growing domestic demand for electricity.

As a leading enterprise in China's machinery industry, Shanghai Electric Group Co., Ltd. has outstanding performance in the global energy market. According to the company's official website, this enterprise with over 120 years of history covers multiple fields such as power generation equipment manufacturing, new energy development, and industrial automation. It is worth noting that on April 10, 2025, Shanghai Electric Group Co., Ltd. and Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (MASDAR) of the United Arab Emirates signed a cooperation agreement for the Saudi Arabia Al Sadawi 2 GW photovoltaic project in Shanghai, China. In October 2024, its subsidiary Shanghai Electric Spirk Engineering Technology Co., Ltd. successfully won the bid for air cooling product orders for two gas combined cycle power plants in Saudi Arabia, Taiba and Qassim, with a contract amount exceeding 1 billion yuan. This is the first time that China's air cooling technology has been applied to a global large-scale power generation project.

In recent years, Iraq's international cooperation in the energy sector has continued to deepen. In addition to cooperation with Chinese companies, Saudi Arabia's ACWA Power and Abu Dhabi's Masdar are also in talks with the Iraqi government for a total of 2 gigawatts of solar power projects, demonstrating Iraq's high emphasis on developing renewable energy.

Analysts point out that if the 10 GW power project of Shanghai Electric Group Co., Ltd. can be successfully implemented, it will become an important milestone in the history of Iraq's energy development. This project will not only significantly improve the electricity supply situation in Iraq, but also create a large number of job opportunities for the local area, effectively promoting economic growth.

This cooperation between Iraq and China Shanghai Electric Group Co., Ltd. is not only an important breakthrough in the energy field between the two countries, but also injects new impetus into the cooperation between China and Iraq under the framework of jointly building the the Belt and Road. With the gradual clarification of project details, this power project with an expected total investment of billions of dollars is expected to have a profound impact on Iraq's energy structure transformation and economic and social development. Experts say that the implementation of this project will further enhance the competitiveness of Chinese enterprises in the international power engineering field, and also help improve the quality of life of Iraqi people, achieving mutual benefit and win-win results. (This article is from the official website www.seetao.com of Jian Dao. Reproduction without permission is prohibited, otherwise it will be prosecuted. Please indicate Jian Dao website+original link when reprinting.) Jian Dao website infrastructure engineering column editor/Yang Beihua