The Iraqi Ministry of Electricity has awarded a contract to Siemens Energy for a turnkey 400-kilovolt (kV) substation located some 20km from Ramadi city. Construction on the Al Hamudhia station has already started and is scheduled for completion in July 2022, the firm said.
According to a statement, the new substation will connect up to 750-Megavolt Amperes (MVA) to the national grid, helping decrease bottlenecks and transmission losses. Once operational, it will provide reliable and efficient power supply to the cities of Ramadi, Fallujah, Saqlawyah, Khalediyah and surrounding areas in Al Anbar Governorate, North West of Baghdad.
The new project will support greater grid connectivity and allow for higher utilisation of the Al Anbar power plant’s generated power, supporting anticipated energy demand growth of 10% annually, a top government official explained.
A top priority for the new government of Iraq is rebuilding the country’s power infrastructure, remarked Ammar Mohammed Kadhim, general director of Planning and Studies Department, Iraqi Ministry of Electricity and the head of the Japanese loan team “IQP22” projects at the Ministry, which are being financed by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
He explained, “Upgrading and strengthening the Iraqi power grid is crucial to this ambitious plan, which will ultimately support Iraq’s economic, industrial and infrastructure development. We’re already working on comprehensive grid projects across the country in collaboration with international partners, like Siemens, to deploy the most reliable and advanced technologies.”
“The new substation will support in providing reliable power to the homes and industries in the governorate of Al Anbar,” said Mahmoud Hanafy, SVP, Transmission Solutions at Siemens Energy, Middle East.
Part of the JICA’s projects in Iraq, the 400-kV Al Hamudhia’s scope of work includes the design, construction, equipment supply, erection, testing and commissioning and training of personnel. The project will be completed by Siemens Energy’s engineers in collaboration with specialised local Iraqi subcontractors, Hanafy stated.
He concluded, “Our grid technology enables more reliable, sustainable, efficient and flexible power systems. From transporting electricity from power plants to the distribution stations, all the way to the citizens, our ability to optimise flexibility and efficiency will contribute to boosting the transmission infrastructure of Iraq.”