Al-Kaabi participates in landmark ceremony commemorating inception of electricity interconnection project to Southern Iraq

HE the Minister of State for Energy Affairs Saad bin Sherida al-Kaabi, took part in a special event held Thursday to mark the start of the implementation of the Gulf Co-operation Council countries’ electrical interconnection project with the south of the Republic of Iraq.
The event was held in the city of Dammam, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, under the patronage of Prince Saud bin Nayef bin Abdulaziz al-Saud, the Emir of the Eastern Province, and the ministers concerned with electricity affairs in the GCC countries, in the presence of members of the Electricity and Water Co-operation Committee, the GCC Secretary-General and the Minister of Electricity of Iraq.
This interconnection project, expected to be completed in late 2024, is the first to be implemented outside the electrical grid system of the GCC countries, and will meet some of the demand for electric power in southern Iraq with about 500 megawatts per hour.
It is funded by both the Qatar Fund for Development and the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development Commenting on the occasion, al-Kaabi stressed the importance of the interconnection project, pointing to the role it will play in "deepening the foundations of integration, complementarity, and co-operation between the GCC countries and the Republic of Iraq, and in strengthening the Gulf electrical interconnection project, which represents one of the most important infrastructure interconnection projects approved by Their Majesties and Highnesses, the leaders of the Gulf Co-operation Council to support economic and social development in the GCC countries.”
"We, in the State of Qatar, realise the importance of extending bridges of co-operation and common action at the Arab level. Guided by the directives of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, we spare no effort in supporting major strategic initiatives of this nature, which are pivotal in bolstering the region's energy security and have a positive impact on its stability and sustainable development across all societal spheres,” al-Kaabi added.
The first phase of the GCC electrical interconnection project was inaugurated on 14 December 2009, connecting the electricity networks of Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain. This was followed by the UAE in 2011 and the Sultanate of Oman in 2014.
This strategic project has achieved important technical and economic benefits for the GCC countries, including annual savings of $200-$300mn annually, with cumulative savings of approximately $3bn since the commencement of operations.