Turning trash into power: 100MW energy plant launched in Baghdad
Shafaq News/ Iraq’s Electricity Minister Ziyad Ali Fadhil announced on Thursday, that the country’s first large-scale waste-to-energy project will generate 100 megawatts of electricity while processing 3,000 tons of waste daily.
Located in Baghdad’s Nahrawan district, the project aims to reduce pollution while strengthening power production. According to an official statement, the plan had been stalled for years, but renewed government efforts secured a contract with China’s Shanghai (SUS) company to launch Iraq’s first waste-to-energy plant.
"This project marks a turning point in how Iraq manages waste and generates power," Fadhil stated. "By utilizing high-efficiency incineration technology, we will process 3,000 tons of waste daily and supply electricity to nearby areas, turning a major environmental challenge into a source of energy."
He emphasized that waste pollution affects air, soil, and water, and this project will convert disposal sites into environmentally friendly facilities, adding that Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani has instructed provincial governors to allocate land for similar projects.
Energy Diversification
Iraq remains dependent on imported electricity and gas, relying on supplies from Iran with periodic US sanctions waivers. To diversify, it signed a deal with Turkmenistan in December 2024 to import up to 20 million cubic meters of gas per day via Iran’s pipeline network under a swap arrangement, though technical issues have delayed implementation.
Negotiations with Algeria and Qatar are also underway for medium-term liquefied natural gas (LNG) contracts. Iraq plans to begin LNG imports once infrastructure at Khor al-Zubair port is completed, including a floating storage and regasification unit linked to a 40-km pipeline connecting to the national grid.
Meanwhile, Baghdad is working to double electricity imports from Turkiye, aiming to expand the current 300-megawatt interconnection to 600 megawatts by summer.
