Manama: The Gulf Cooperation Council Interconnection Authority (GCCIA) and the Ministry of Electricity of the Republic of Iraq have finalized plans for a significant electricity interconnection project. The final preparations were discussed during a recent meeting in the Kingdom of Bahrain.
According to Emirates News Agency, representatives from both the GCCIA and the Iraqi Ministry of Electricity assessed the operational readiness of the electricity interconnection project. The project aims to integrate the electricity network of southern Iraq with the Gulf electricity grid, enabling the export of electric power to Iraq. This initiative is part of broader efforts to enhance bilateral cooperation in the energy sector.
During the meeting, operational mechanisms for the integration were reviewed, and potential avenues for exporting electric power to Iraq were explored. The meeting also included an evaluation of operational contracts that are set to be signed prior to the project's official launch. Visual presentations on the structure of each party's electrical network were featured, alongside initial discussions on frameworks for power purchase agreements.
The electricity interconnection project is designed to stabilize regional electrical networks and is expected to become operational in the first half of 2026. Engineer Ahmed Al-Ebrahim, Chief Executive Officer of the GCCIA, stated that the connection between the Gulf electricity market and Iraq will create opportunities for regional electricity interconnection and power trade, supporting the GCC countries' objectives to establish a competitive electricity market.