Construction of Aqaba solar-run power plant to start next month

AMMAN — The Energy and Mineral Resources Regulatory Commission (EMRC) on Sunday gave the go ahead for a 10-megawatt solar-run power plant.

Construction of the plant is expected to start soon after the EMRC issued a 20-year licence to the Shamsuna Power Company to implement the project, EMRC Chief Commissioner Farouq Hiari, said in a statement sent to The Jordan Times on Sunday.

The solar-run power plant, which will be located in Aqaba, is one of several projects with a total capacity of 200 megawatts (MW) that the Energy Ministry approved earlier this year.

Last week, Trina Solar Limited announced that it has entered into an agreement for the design, construction, operation and maintenance of the 10MW Shamsuna Solar Project in Aqaba.

Foursan Capital Partners will hold an 85 per cent stake in the project, while Shamasuna will hold a 15 per cent stake. 

The project is being financed by International Finance Corporation and a small syndicate of lenders. 

Construction of the project is scheduled to commence in December 2014 with completion and grid connection expected in the second quarter of 2015. 

“The licence is part of efforts to implement the country’s strategy to increase the contribution of renewable energy to the overall energy mix,” Hiari said, adding that the commission is in the final process of issuing approvals for other licences to implement projects in Maan and Mafraq.

He noted that these projects will help reduce reliance on fuel imports for power production. 

Jordan, which imports 97 per cent of its energy needs annually at a total cost of 20 per cent of the gross domestic product, plans to implement several projects to increase the contribution of renewable energy to the overall mix to 10 per cent by 2020.