GE and Mass Group Holding (MGH) have successfully commenced simple cycle commercial operations of four advanced GE 9F gas turbines under phase I of the Ministry of Electricity’s Baghdad Power Plant in Besmaya, according to GE.

The facility is located about 40km from Baghdad and is the first one in the country outside the Kurdistan region to be developed by an independent power producer on a build-own-operate (BOO) basis for the Iraqi Ministry, Day of Dubai reported.

The project’s construction is being held by MGH, which will also operate the facility. When fully operational, the plant will deliver 3,000MW of power to the national grid. The second phase of the project is expected to start commercial operations in 2018.

Additionally, together with Basmaya plant, GE will support 7,000MW of installed capacity by MGH projects in the Kurdistan region. The company has already delivered advanced equipment for MGH’s power plants in Erbil, Sulaymaniyah and Dohuk, which together have an installed capacity of 4,000 MW.