Electrical interconnection projects with neighbouring Arab countries ‘progressing’ — NEPCO

AMMAN — The National Electric Power Company (NEPCO) has said that a number of electrical interconnection projects with neighbouring Arab countries are progressing according to a specific plan and timetable, with the aim to utilise the Kingdom's geographic location in the transit of energy.

A global consultant has completed technical, economic and environmental feasibility studies for an interconnection project between Jordan, Gulf states and Egypt, according to the company's 2021 annual report, cited by the Jordan News Agency, Petra.

The company has recently floated a tender for the first phase of the Jordan-Iraq electrical interconnection project, which is anticipated to provide Iraq with 400 kilovolts by the end of this year.

The first phase of the project involves the construction of a high-voltage transmission line connecting Jordan's eastern region of Al Risheh with Iraq's western region. 

The line will be completed by the end of 2022, with a length of some 300 kilometres and an estimated cost of $140 million.

Regarding the electrical interconnection with Palestine, the report noted that the two sides had agreed to increase the amount of energy exported from the Kingdom to Palestine to 80 megawatts.

The report indicated that officials from Jordan, Syria and Lebanon had met to decide on a schedule and an action plan for restarting the Syrian-Jordanian electrical interconnection line, which would supply Lebanon with about 250 megawatts of electricity.

As for connection with Saudi Arabia, necessary feasibility studies have been prepared for the Jordanian-Saudi interconnection, where the two kingdoms have signed a memorandum of understanding to embark on preparing several agreements for the interconnection scheme.