Iraqi power plant to be doubled in size
The plant in the town of Zubaidiya initially was slated to have four 330 megawatt generators for a total capacity of 1,320 MW but the new deal would see two additional 610 MW units installed to expand capacity to 2,540 megawatts, officials said.
Shanghai started work last May on Phase 1 of the plant, which was valued at $924 million.
"This is a huge leap in the contracts of the electricity ministry to enlarge a thermal plant by 1,200 MW," Electricity Minister Raad Shallal said at the signing ceremony. "Thermal power plants are the backbone of the electricity system. The long term plan of the ministry is the thermal plants."
Intermittent electricity is one of Iraqis' chief complaints. More than eight years after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein, the national grid supplies only a few hours of power each day.
Related News
Is a Resurgence of Nuclear Energy Possible in Germany?
BERLIN - A year has passed since Germany deactivated its last three nuclear power plants, marking a significant shift in its energy policy.
Nuclear fission once heralded as the future of energy in Germany during the 1960s, was initially embraced with minimal concern for the potential risks of nuclear accidents. As Heinz Smital from Greenpeace recalls, the early optimism was partly driven by national interest in nuclear weapon technology rather than energy companies' initiatives.
Jochen Flasbarth, State Secretary in the Ministry of Development, reflects on that era, noting Germany's strong, almost naive, belief in technology. Germany, particularly the Ruhr region, grappled with smog-filled…
