Doha, 18 Oct. 2022

The Amir of State of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad AlThani, inaugurated Al-Kharsaah Solar PV Power Plant (KSPP), the first in Qatar and one of the largest in terms of size and capacity in the region, with a total capacity of 800 megawatts (MW).

The plant was inaugurated today at Al-Kharsaah,  in presence of Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa Al-Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi, Minister of State for Energy Affairs and President and CEO of QatarEnergy.

KSPP was constructed on a 10 square kilometer land area. It includes more than 1,800,000 solar panels that utilize sun tracking technology to follow the movement of the sun to ensure the most efficient use of land and to maximize daily production.

It utilizes robotic arms and treated water to clean the solar panels at night in order to enhance the plant’s production efficiency.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Saad Al-Kaabi highlighted some of Qatar’s efforts towards achieving its sustainability targets, stressing that “the Al-Kharsaah plant is one of the country’s strategic initiatives to build projects that contribute to reducing gas and thermal emissions, thus achieving about a million-ton reduction in annual carbon dioxide emissions.”

Al-Kaabi highlighted some of the environmental efforts and sustainability requirements that were taken into account in building this landmark plant, saying: “The site of Al-Kharsaah was chosen following extensive scientific studies to determine the sites with the best possible operational efficiency and
maximum economic value, placing great consideration to the geological, environmental, and social impacts of establishing this station.”

The Al-Kharsaah Solar PV Power Plant is owned by a joint venture between affiliates of QatarEnergy Renewable Solutions (60%), Marubeni (20.4%) and TotalEnergies.

Al-Kaabi thanked QatarEnergy’s partners in the project, namely, Japan’s Marubeni, France’s TotalEnergies, as well as the project’s
uicontractors for their efforts to deliver this project.

He paid thanks and appreciated QatarEnergy, Qatar Electricity & Water Company,  the President, management, and employees of KAHRAMAA for their continuous efforts to meet the country’s electricity and water needs with the highest standards.

He concluded by saying: “I am honored to present ample thanks and gratitude to the Amir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, for his
unlimited support and wise guidance, without which we would not have accomplished such a project.”

KSPP started supplying electrical power to Qatar’s electricity grid last June, marking the startup of the 400 MW first phase of the 800 MW plant. Full capacity was reached by the end of the second phase. The KSPP can provide the national grid with about 10% of peak electricity demand.