Prnewswire·2025-12-22 03:51Core Insights - Shanghai Electric has initiated the Euphrates Combined Cycle Expansion Project in Iraq, aiming to enhance power plant capacity by 50% and alleviate chronic electricity shortages [1][2][3] - The project will add a total capacity of 625 Megawatts (MW) and is expected to generate an additional 5 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity annually without increasing fuel consumption [1][4] Group 1: Project Overview - The project involves modernizing power plants in four Iraqi provinces: Najaf, Karbala, Babylon, and Al-Qadisiyyah, by converting simple cycle plants into combined cycle plants [1][3] - Core equipment for the project has arrived on-site, and construction is progressing through collaboration between Chinese and Iraqi teams [3][6] Group 2: Strategic Importance - The Iraqi Minister of Electricity, Ziad Ali Fadel, emphasized the project's significance in improving Iraq's electricity supply and optimizing power infrastructure, which will reduce dependence on gas imports and lower fuel costs for electricity generation [4][5] - The project is seen as a benchmark for power plant modernization in Iraq, reflecting the population's hope for a more reliable electricity supply and better living conditions [5][7] Group 3: Technological Innovation - The project utilizes advanced combined cycle technology, where high-temperature exhaust gases from existing gas turbines are used to generate additional power without extra fuel [4][5] - This phase of the project marks one of the first expansions of a combined cycle power plant in Iraq using exclusively Chinese equipment and standards, promoting the use of Chinese technology abroad [6][8]