Iraq is still locked in negotiations with Abu Dhabi-based Masdar Company and ACWA Power of Saudi Arabia for the construction of two solar power plants and a final agreement will be signed shortly, an Iraqi news outlet said on Friday.

Shafaq News agency quoted a source at the Iraqi Electricity Ministry as saying a final deal with Masdar includes an agreement by the Ministry to purchase electricity from the four solar power plants it will build across Iraq.

The source said the project comprises a 450 megawatts (MW) plant in the Southern Dhi Qar Governorate, a 350 MW plant in the Western Al-Anbar Governorate and two plants in Nineveh and Maysan with a capacity of 100 MW each.

ACWA Power will build a solar power park in the central Najaf city with a capacity of 1,000 MW and it has already signed a purchase contract with the Electricity Ministry, the source said, adding that both projects have been awarded on an investment basis.

“There is not rift with these companies….negotiations are under way for a final agreement…as for ACWA Power, there are only technical issues that need to be cleared before the project takes off…a final agreement will soon be signed separately with each company,” the source added.

(Writing by Nadim Kawach; Editing by Anoop Menon) 

(anoop.menon@lseg.com)

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