ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani on Monday launched three projects in Dhi Qar that are set to cost over 2 trillion dinars between them.

Sudani "launched the implementation of three strategic projects in Dhi Qar province, at a total cost of 2.195 trillion dinars," the Iraqi premier's office said in a statement.

The projects include "the Nasiriyah Combined Power Plant Project, with a capacity of 921 megawatts and using natural gas," and an integrated medical city consisting of seven hospitals that share a capacity of 700 beds between them.

"The Infrastructure Project for the Suq Al Shuyukh district" is also among the projects launched by the prime minister.

The power plant project comes amid efforts by the Iraqi government to address a discrepancy between Iraq's demand for power and its current production capacity, which it falls short of significantly. This is especially important as the country braces itself for a hot summer lying ahead, exacerbating the energy crisis even more.

Iraq’s power grid after the completion of maintenance and the return of natural gas is currently capable of producing 27,000 megawatts, Fadhil said in February, adding, however, that the current actual output sits at 17,000 megawatts, while Iraq’s power demand is around 32,000 to 35,000 megawatts.

Dhi Qar was one of three Iraqi provinces that were struck by a complete power outage in February, alongside Basra and Maysan, which marked the second power blackout within a week.

Sudani oversaw earlier in April the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the US-based GE Vernova for a power plant project with a 24,000-megawatt capacity to address the country's power issues.