Energy in Focus

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 Ir...

Project: Basra Steel — 68 MWp Solar PV + 30 MWh BESS | Basra, Iraq | Full EPC delivered by ICCO | Completed 5 June 2026 aerial view, Basra Steel solar plant + 220 kV connection The Basra Steel project is a complete power system, not only a solar farm. It generates electricity, stores it, raises it through three voltage levels and delivers it to the high-voltage grid. International Consolidated Contractors Offshore SAL (ICCO) delivered every part of that chain under a single EPC contract, completed on 5 June 2026. Component Size Role Solar PV plant 68 MWp Generates DC power, converted to AC by inverters Battery energy storage system 30 MWh Stores energy and supports steadier output Medium-voltage network About 50 km at 33 kV Collects power across the site Collector and step-up substation 132/33 kV Raises voltage from 33 kV to 132 kV Grid-interconnection substation 220/132 kV Connects the plant to the high-voltage grid Overhead transmi...

Project: Basra Steel — 68 MWp Solar PV + 30 MWh BESS | Basra, Iraq | Full EPC delivered by ICCO | USD 81,367,380 | Completed 5 June 2026 Aerial view, solar field + Basra Steel, Iraq Basra, Iraq, 01 July 2026 — International Consolidated Contractors Offshore SAL (ICCO) has completed a 68 MWp solar photovoltaic power plant with a 30 MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) for Basra Steel in Basra, Iraq. The project was completed on 5 June 2026 under an 18-month engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract valued at USD 81,367,380. The scope reached well beyond the solar field. ICCO also built a 220/132 kV grid-interconnection substation and a 132/33 kV collector and step-up substation. About 25 km of 220 kV and 132 kV overhead transmission lines and about 50 km of 33 kV medium-voltage network connect the plant to the grid. SCADA, protection, control and telecommunications systems tie the installation together. They allow the plant to be monitored and operat...

Project: Basra Steel — 68 MWp Solar PV + 30 MWh BESS | Basra, Iraq | Full EPC delivered by ICCO | Completed 5 June 2026 Energization begins at the 220/132 kV substation and works inward. Image: project reference. A power plant is not finished when the last panel is installed. It is finished when it has been proven to work safely with the grid. On the Basra Steel project, completed by International Consolidated Contractors Offshore SAL (ICCO) on 5 June 2026, that proof covered a 68 MWp solar plant, a 30 MWh battery system, two substations and about 75 km of transmission lines and medium-voltage network. This article explains what that final phase involves. Why commissioning carries so much weight A plant connected at 220 kV becomes part of the national transmission system. A fault inside the plant can affect other users, and a disturbance on the grid can damage the plant. Commissioning demonstrates that every protection, control and communication system respon...

Project: Basra Steel — 68 MWp Solar PV + 30 MWh BESS | Basra, Iraq | Full EPC delivered by ICCO | USD 81,367,380 | 18 months | Completed 5 June 2026 Basra Steel — a 68 MWp solar plant with its own 220 kV grid connection, completed 5 June 2026. Image: project reference. On 5 June 2026, International Consolidated Contractors Offshore SAL (ICCO) completed a 68 MWp solar plant with 30 MWh of battery storage for Basra Steel. The contract ran 18 months and was valued at USD 81,367,380. The headline figure is the solar capacity. The harder task was delivering six interdependent packages of work on one schedule. Six packages, one programme The scope combined work that is often split between several contractors: A 68 MWp solar PV plant, including civil and electrical works A 30 MWh battery energy storage system A 220/132 kV grid-interconnection substation A 132/33 kV collector and step-up substation About 25 km of 220 kV and 132 kV overhead lines, and about 50 km...