The first phase of Iraq’s largest solar project to date has officially started operations.

The Karbala solar power plant, located in central Iraq’s Karbala governorate, has begun generating 22 MW of electricity. According to the Iraqi News Agency, output is expected to increase to 75 MW within two months.

The project, which was first announced under Iraq’s inaugural solar tender in 2019, is planned to eventually reach a total capacity of 300 MW.

The inauguration of the first phase was led by Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, who said the Ministry of Electricity is advancing a nationwide solar energy strategy, with more projects scheduled to follow.

Iraq has set a goal of installing 12 GW of solar power capacity by 2030, up from just 42 MW at the end of 2024.

Momentum is already building. In July, France’s TotalEnergies began construction of a 1 GW solar plant in southern Iraq, with the first 250 MW slated to come online before the end of this year. In June, UGT Renewables, a US-based developer, announced plans to deliver a 3 GW solar project in partnership with the federal government, alongside 500 MWh of energy storage.

Smaller projects have also been taking shape. In May, Iraq’s first solar-powered village came online, and a 2 MW solar array was commissioned at the government palace in Baghdad.