His Excellency Mr. Jassem Mohamed Albudaiwi, Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), stated that the electrical interconnection project with the Iraqi Southern Region Electricity Network is one of the key infrastructure linking projects between the GCC countries, and aims to confront the loss of generation capacity in emergency cases, and reduce generation reserves, carbon emissions and the costs of constructing fibre optic networks in the GCC countries, as well as provide the foundations for the exchange and trade of electric energy between the Cooperation Council states in a way that serves the economic aspects, supports the reliability of electrical supply and deals with emergency crises.
This came during a speech delivered by HE the Secretary General on the occasion of the inauguration ceremony of the electrical interconnection project with the Republic of Iraq, held on Thursday (June 8, 2023) in the city of Dammam, in the presence of His Royal Highness Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Minister of Energy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and under the generous patronage of His Royal Highness Prince Saud bin Nayef bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Governor of the Eastern Province.
At the beginning of his speech, His Excellency extended gratitude and appreciation to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and to His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, for the sincere efforts made by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and its tireless work to enhance the blessed course of the Cooperation Council, and for the support, assistance and interest received by the joint Gulf action from the Royal Supreme Authority and the Respected Government.
HE the Secretary General also expressed gratitude to HRH the Governor of the Eastern Province, for his patronage and attendance of the ceremony to commence the implementation of the GCC electrical interconnection project with the Iraqi Southern Region Electricity Network.
Furthermore, His Excellency said during his speech that the electrical interconnection project reflects the successes of the complementary projects that took place between the GCC states, and the cooperation between them, as a result of the wise directives of Their Majesties and Highnesses the leaders of the GCC states, in order to achieve further accomplishments to serve the progress and development journey in the Cooperation Council states, and in a way that realises the hopes and aspirations of the GCC citizens.
He underlined that due to the electrical interconnection project’s vital importance, Their Majesties and Highnesses the leaders of the GCC states decided in the 118th session held in the State of Kuwait to establish the project, and the actual operation began in 2009, with the aim of connecting the electric power networks of the GCC countries, as the cost of the project amounted to USD 1500 million, while it has achieved economic savings since its inception exceeding USD 3 billion, as well as addressing approximately 2700 instantaneous support cases by transferring the required energy directly through the electrical interconnection network.
Moreover, His Excellency stressed that the interconnection project with the Iraqi Southern Region Electricity Network is one of the key strategic projects for the GCC countries, as it will support the existing cooperation between the GCC countries and the Republic of Iraq, and allow the latter to find sustainable alternatives to electric energy, while it will also achieve economic benefits for both sides through exporting electric energy from the GCC countries to the Republic of Iraq.
Elaborating further, HE the Secretary General explained that the project includes the construction of double interconnection lines with a voltage of 400 kV and a length of 295 km from the Al Wafra station of the Authority in the State of Kuwait to the Al Faw station in the Republic of Iraq, and it will supply the GCC countries to Iraq with around 500 MW as a first stage, and later increasing to 1800 MW. He also said that the cost of the project is approximately USD 220 million, adding that the contract for the implementation of the project was signed in February 2023, and the implementation period will take two years.
"The Cooperation Council countries, through this project, send a message to the brotherly Republic of Iraq, its government and people, stating that we are one, and that we look forward to the security and prosperity of brotherly Iraq, and that we, without regard to time, circumstances or challenges, are brothers and sisters bound by our Islam and Arabism. We always offer you a helping hand without favour or cost, and we hope, with the permission and blessing from Allah the Almighty, to see our Iraq as a tributary and source of strength for our Arabism. We offer you inexhaustible support, sincere brotherly feelings, and unfailing closeness from the United Arab Emirates, the Kingdom of Bahrain, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Sultanate of Oman, the State of Qatar and the State of Kuwait.
By conclusion of his speech, His Excellency expressed sincere gratitude and appreciation to Their Highnesses and Excellencies the ministers concerned with electricity affairs in the GCC countries, and His Excellency Engineer Ziyad Fadel Ali, Minister of Electricity of the Republic of Iraq, and to the GCC Interconnection Authority (GCCIA) and its employees for their efforts and continuous dedication to achieve this project, which has become a firm and tangible reality.