Arab countries to sign electricity trading agreement in Cairo next week, official says

An electricity interconnection project linking Iraq with the GCC grid is expected to start operations in 2025, GCC Interconnection Authority chief says

Doha power station in Kuwait. GCC countries will soon be supplying electricity to Iraq. Gustavo Ferrari / The National

Arab countries will sign an agreement in Cairo next week to pave the way for power trading between the GCC and the broader Middle East and North Africa region, a senior official said on Thursday.

One of the most important agenda items at an Arab ministerial meeting in the Egyptian capital will be the signing of the pan-Arab electricity market agreement, “which will set in motion the possibility of trading between the GCC and [other] Arab countries”, Ahmed Al Ebrahim, chief executive of the GCC Interconnection Authority, told The National during the RAK Energy Summit in Ras Al Khaimah.

Mr Al Ebrahim also said that an electricity interconnection project linking Iraq with the GCC grid is expected to start operations in 2025.

“We're planning to start exporting electricity to Iraq next year. We are having our discussions with the Iraqi side on all the agreements and all the details,” he said.

“That will be a good start for the GCC countries now with the energy transition, on how to utilise the excess capacity coming from renewables to sell to other regions who are in need.”

More to follow …