The Iraq Ministry of Electricity (MoE) and GE Vernova Inc have announced the successful completion of upgrades at several key power plants, significantly enhancing the performance and output of existing GE Vernova generating units. The new upgrades are part of a broader effort by the Ministry to modernise the power generation infrastructure to enhance grid stability and capacity, while meeting the growing energy demand in Iraq in alignment with the country’s energy transition efforts.
The broader upgrade project encompasses 46 gas turbines across 12 power plants, aiming to add around 500 MW of additional generating capacity to the national grid before the summer of 2025. The modernisation projects are expected to improve operational flexibility and boost output, efficiency, and availability of the power generation assets. Some of the power plants included in this project – Ninawa, Al Diwaniyah, Hilla, Karbala, Shat Al Basra, Najibiya, Samawa, Dhiqar, Al Khairat and Al Haidariya – have already transitioned from heavy fuel oil (HFO) to natural gas, with a capacity increase of approximately 260 MW. The other plants are expected to be modernised within the summer of 2025, with an expected additional increase in capacity of approximately 250 MW.
In addition, GE Vernova announced the successful installation of its Advanced Gas Path (AGP) upgrades on several 9.E gas turbines powering the Al-Quds and Dhiqar power plants, and MXL2 upgrades on 13E2 gas turbines at the Al Mansouriya power plant. The expected output increases of up to 6% for each of these power plants will enable Iraq’s Ministry of Electricity (MoE) to generate more electricity using the same amount of fuel, notes GE Vernova.
In addition, as part of the services and upgrade agreement announced in 2024 with MoE to enhance the availability of power plants across the country, GE Vernova says it has completed comprehensive maintenance on a large fleet of gas turbines with a total installed capacity capacity of 3.7 GW, including units at Qayyarah, Diwaniyah, Al-Haydariyah, and Baghdad South. These initiatives aim to enhance the long-term reliability and stability of Iraq’s power sector, says GE Vernova, which has also reported completion and early commissioning of six critical 132 kV substations across the country.
