Jordanian-Egyptian electric capacity-raising connection project to commence by 2024 — NEPCO

AMMAN — The Jordanian-Egyptian project to raise the electric capacity between the countries from 500 megawatts to 1,000 megawatts is scheduled to be ready by the end of 2024, Director General of the National Electric Power Company (NEPCO) Amjad Rawashdeh said on Tuesday. 

During a press conference with Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company (EETC) Chairperson Sabah Mashaly, Rawashdeh said that technical committees are considering alternatives to implement the project before deciding on the best option at economic and technical levels, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

As for funds for the project, the director general said that it will depend on the best option to be adopted, stressing the importance of the scheme for Jordan to enhance electric connection with neighbouring countries. 

He said that the Jordanian-Egyptian electric connection project, which started in 1999, is among "the successful Arab projects and a success story for pan-Arab cooperation". 

He referred to the Jordanian-Egyptian power grid’s technical capabilities and ability to accommodate additional amounts, where the grid is able to transfer power to other countries. 

Rawashdeh referred to electric connection schemes with Iraq and Saudi Arabia, noting that the Jordanian-Saudi electric connection project is pending the signing of technical agreements. 

Mashaly noted that the Jordanian-Egyptian connection is among the first connection projects between Egypt and other countries and dates back more than 20 years without any major defaults, paving the way for a pan-Arab energy exchange market.  

Jordan and Egypt on Sunday agreed to raise the electric capacity between the countries from 500 megawatts to 1,000 megawatts, enabling them to exchange electricity with other countries in the region.

Jordan and Egypt have exchanged electrical energy since 1999, and the Jordanian electrical network is connected to the Egyptian electrical network through a 400 kilovolt submarine cable, extending across the Gulf of Aqaba with a length of 13 kilometres and a capacity of 550 megawatts.

The Jordanian-Egyptian connection comes within the eight electrical interconnection groups, which include Jordan, Egypt, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, Libya and Turkey.