The early completion of five important substation projects nationwide in less than two years was announced today by GE Vernova and the Iraqi Ministry of Electricity. In order to improve Iraq’s electricity transmission capacities, the Ministry plans to construct and run ten secondary substations, including these substations. In addition to supporting Iraq’s attempts to integrate its electrical grid with Jordan, this partnership with GE Vernova seeks to increase the stability and efficiency of the high and ultra-high voltage grid.
Hindiyah, Sadr, Al-Qaim, Sa’da, North Baqubah, and South Yarmouk are the new 132 kV substations. All of them were finished ahead of schedule; North Baqubah and South Yarmouk were finished about six months early, in August and September 2024, respectively. At the Rusafa Center substation, equipment installation and construction are nearing completion and are anticipated to begin soon. By the summer of 2025, four additional substations in North Najaf, North Karbala, North Diwaniyah, and Eridu are expected to be finished and operational.
Iraq’s grid will gain an additional 2,200 MVA of transmission capacity when the ten substations are completed, enhancing power delivery to approximately 300,000 homes, or one million people.
Five ultra-high voltage (400 kV) substations in Kharitat, Nineveh, Mansuriyah, East Mosul, Faw, and Northwest Baghdad are among the 30 substations GE Vernova has constructed and operated throughout Iraq over the past decade.
Four 132 kV substations were built in Duhok Province for the Kurdistan Region as part of GE’s commitment to international standards, enhancing Iraq’s electrical infrastructure.
“Our strategic partnership with prominent companies like GE Vernova supports the Ministry’s efforts to modernize the national grid by enhancing generation and transmission efficiency, providing a reliable technical roadmap that facilitates load balancing and resilience in connecting the provinces,” Iraq’s Minister of Electricity, Engineer Ziyad Ali Fadel, stated. In this context, the construction and commissioning of these five substations, which were completed ahead of schedule, is an important addition to our efforts to meet rising electricity demand and improve the stability of the grid in the surrounding areas. He emphasized, “The dedication of Ministry of Electricity teams and their focus on delivering tangible results reflects the accomplishment of these complex projects ahead of schedule.”
“Through these strategic electricity projects with the Ministry, our advanced substation solutions contribute not only to grid stability but also accelerate Iraq’s transition to a more efficient and sustainable future,” stated Johan Bindell, Head of Grid System Integration at GE Vernova.
“As a committed, long-term partner in Iraq’s energy sector, we are determined to meet Iraq’s growing energy needs by applying the latest technology and solutions across electricity generation and transmission,” added Rashid Janabi, president of GE Vernova Iraq. The company’s comprehensive strategy to support Iraq’s energy transition by providing more power and reducing carbon intensity includes modernizing Iraq’s national electricity grid, which is an essential step in this process. We are pleased that Iraqi teams from the Ministry of Electricity and GE Vernova played such an important part in these projects.
GE Vernova has contributed 19,000 MW of generation capacity over the past decade, facilitated over $3 billion in financing for Iraqi energy projects since 2015, and continues to invest in training national staff, building local capabilities, and establishing advanced monitoring centers to proactively identify and mitigate issues in generation units, safeguarding the national grid. In addition, GE Vernova has modernized the national grid.
