Saudi energy company ACWA Power will build a 1,000-megawatt solar power plant in Iraq, the country's first clean energy project. Construction firm PowerChina has been awarded a contract to build a 250 MW solar power facility in the country.

The Saudi company has agreed to build the plant in Najaf as a joint investment project. We have allocated land for the project with the help of the local government, the minister said. The news came five days after Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman held talks in Riyadh with the visiting Iraqi power minister on the latest progress on a project to link the two countries' power grids.

The meeting explored opportunities for cooperation between Saudi Arabia and Iraq in the field of renewable energy while benefiting from ACWA Power's capabilities and its contribution to the development of future projects in Iraq.

The two ministers also discussed sharing Saudi expertise in smart meters and opportunities for Saudi companies to participate as contractors and manufacturers alongside Iraqi companies in the development of smart meter infrastructure.

Also this month, French oil major TotalEnergies arranged with the Iraqi government to invite ACWA Power to develop a 1 GW solar plant to feed the Basra regional grid. Iraq signed a contract with PowerChina to build a 2,000-megawatt solar power plant in the country in August 2021.

During a visit to Baghdad in February, Saudi Arabia's foreign minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, said Iraq played a vital role in strengthening stability in the region. Prince Faisal also highlighted the depth of the relationship with Iraq, saying the relationship between the two countries has seen great momentum recently.Editor/XingWentao