Gov't to assign consulting firm to assess electricity network status

AMMAN — The Cabinet on Sunday discussed power outages in different parts of Jordan during the recent snowstorm.

Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Bisher Al Khasawneh tasked Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Saleh Kharabsheh to form a probe panel to investigate in the issue and provide recommendations in a maximum of three weeks and to take the necessary administrative and legal action against those who were derelict in preforming their duties. 

The Council of Ministers also decided to assign a consulting firm to assess the status of the Kingdom’s electricity network, especially in Amman, to upgrade it, as well as to set standards for assessing electricity distribution companies’ performance, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

Power outage lasted for 36 hours in some cases, the premier said, expressing his rejection, according to the Jordan News Petra, reported.

The state-owned National Electric Power Company (NEPCO) was not responsible for the power outage, but it is the responsibility of the government to intervene as several citizens left without power for a long time, the premier said. 

The Cabinet also assigned the related ministries and institutions to conduct a survey of trees that came into contact with power lines in cities to address the issue to avoid a recurrence of power outages associated with weather conditions.

Lauding the institutions’ performance during the inclement weather, notably the police and army, the Greater Amman Municipality, the Jordan Meteorological Department (JMD) and the related ministries, the prime minister said that the problems in electricity has “disorted the image of the efficient and high-level performance.