Long distance to water sources major reason for water sector’s high energy bill — NEPCO chief

AMMAN — The distance between the water sources and the distribution centres is a main reason for the water sector’s high electricity bill, Director General of the National Electric Power Company (NEPCO) Amjad Rawashdeh said on Thursday. 

A single cubic metre of water flows 300 kilometres to reach the consumer and needs 6.6 Kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity, Rawashdeh said during the Second National Water and Energy Nexus Conference at the King Hussein Bin Talal Convention Centre, Dead Sea, that will conclude on Thursday.

The distance of the water source from the residential area represents a challenge that is being considered within the framework of cooperation and integration between the water and energy sectors, he added, according to a NEPCO statement.

Highlighting NEPCO’s achievements related to energy diversification, Rawashdeh said that the capacities of renewable energy systems connected to transmission and distribution networks amount to about 2,270 megawatts, compared to about 4,000 megawatts of conventional energy. This accounted for 25 per cent of the generated energy and more than half of the capacity of conventional energy.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, NEPCO has operated more than 450 megawatts on the transmission grid, he said. The company also completed infrastructure works for four new substations, two expansions for major stations, and completed 530km/circuit of high voltage networks, he added. 

He also went over the Kingdom’s power connection projects with neighbouring countries, including the Jordanian-Palestinian power connection project, which will link Jerusalem’s grid with the Jordanian grid. He stressed that the station for the project is currently under construction and expected to be ready for operation by mid-2022. 

Several interconnection projects with neighbouring countries are underway, including strengthening the Jordanian-Egyptian connection, as well as a project meant to supply Iraq with almost 1000 gigawatt-hours for three years, he added.