Erbil to build 25 MW solar powerplant

Erbil to build 25 MW solar powerplant

Dec 6, 2022

Today, Tuesday, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Ministry of Electricity said that their minister had signed a contract with the director of Pluto Auto Cycle Company to install a solar power plant in Erbil. The plant will generate 25 MW of solar power and will be operational within 90 days, it said.

The ministry of electricity noted that their ministry had added an extra 615 MW of electricity to the national electricity grid in the past four years. Despite the national power grid, the Kurdistan region relies on tens of thousands of generators to substitute for the hours of power outages. The generators pump thousands of kilos of CO2 into the air every day.

"It is noteworthy that even after the production of more power, it has not been able to provide 24 hours electricity to the citizens of the Kurdistan region, the power ministry added.

Power outages are common in the Kurdistan region, especially in the winter, as people turn to electricity to heat their homes. A recent ministry of electricity plan to provide 24/7 power to households failed since it lowered the limit of amperes every family could use from 40 to 30 amperes, not enough to turn on some essential household items, according to citizens complaining on social media.

The Kurdistan region relied on hydrocarbon fuel for heating residences and cooking, with most heaters working with kerosene or other fossil fuels; although electricity heaters are typical, the lack of electric power makes it difficult for many to afford.

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