Powering heavy industry with the sun: what the Basra Steel project shows

Project: Basra Steel — 68 MWp Solar PV + 30 MWh BESS | Basra, Iraq | Full EPC delivered by ICCO | USD 81.4 million | Completed June 2026

Steel is one of the most energy-intensive industries in the world, and reliable power decides whether a plant can run at all. In June 2026, Basra Steel took delivery of a 68 MWp solar plant with 30 MWh of battery storage, built by International Consolidated Contractors Offshore SAL (ICCO).

The project is a useful case study of how heavy industry can secure its own clean power at scale.

The energy problem industry faces

Industrial plants need large amounts of electricity, delivered steadily. Interruptions stop production, damage equipment and waste material already in process.

Iraq’s grid has struggled for years to meet demand, especially in summer when air conditioning load peaks. Many industrial users rely on fuel-fired generation to fill the gap, which is costly and exposed to fuel price swings.

Why solar fits Basra

Southern Iraq receives strong sunshine through most of the year. Solar output is highest in the long summer days, the same season when the grid is under the most strain.

Once built, a solar plant has no fuel cost. That gives an industrial owner a predictable energy cost over the life of the asset, which is typically 25 years or more.

What storage adds

Solar output changes with the weather and stops at sunset. A battery system narrows that gap.

The 30 MWh BESS at Basra can absorb energy when the sun is strong and release it when output dips. This makes the plant’s supply steadier and easier for the grid to accommodate.


30 MWh battery energy storage system

Infrastructure is half the project

Generating power is only useful if it can be delivered. That is why the Basra Steel scope included two substations, about 25 km of high-voltage lines and about 50 km of 33 kV network.

For industrial clients, this is often the deciding factor. A solar plant without a firm grid connection is a stranded asset. One with purpose-built interconnection is a working power station.


Substation & transmission lines

A model that can be repeated

The Basra Steel project combined generation, storage and grid infrastructure in a single USD 81.4 million EPC contract, delivered in 18 months. It shows that an industrial owner can move from signed contract to completed plant in a year and a half.

Cement, petrochemicals, fertiliser and other energy-intensive sectors face the same pressures. The same approach is open to them.

About the Contractor — ICCO
International Consolidated Contractors Offshore SAL (ICCO) delivered this project as a single EPC contract — design, engineering, procurement, construction, testing and commissioning — through to energization and handover. Throughout this article, the contractor, the delivery partner and the EPC contractor refer to ICCO.

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