Iraq’s Minister of Electricity Adel Kareem inaugurated the 250MW Akkas gas power plant in Anbar province on 20 October according to a brief press release by the ministry. The plant is adjacent to the Qaim 400kV substation which is key for the planned interconnection with Jordan. GE is delivering the 300km transmission line from the station to the border (MEES, 17 June).
The 2013 built plant was rehabilitated starting early 2020 after it was destroyed by ISIS in 2014. In August, Oil Ministry subsidiary State Company for Oil Projects (SCOP) was working on laying a 30km 16-inch pipeline between the plant and the Akkas gas field in an apparent attempt to build the economic case for the long-delayed development of the latter (MEES, 26 August). Iraq Oil Report this week quoted officials as saying that initial Akkas gas output could begin later this month from wells drilled decades ago but without adequate facilities to pressurize and treat gas, the plant will most likely operate on trucked liquid fuels. (CONTINUED - 163 WORDS)