Ammon News - The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources has emphasized the significance of current and upcoming electrical interconnection initiatives to enhance the electrical system and advance the energy sector, ultimately positioning Jordan as a hub for regional energy exchange in all its forms.

According to the Ministry's report for 2022, a Jordanian-Iraqi electrical interconnection project is currently underway. The project involves linking the Risha substation in Jordan to the Al-Qa'im station in Iraq at a voltage of 400 kilovolts (KV), exporting 150 megawatts (MW) of electricity from Jordan to Iraq in an isolated manner.

A contract for selling electrical energy to the Iraqi side was also signed on September 27, 2020, and the project is expected to be operated in the fourth quarter of 2024.

The report also says authorities are working on a project, expected to be up and running by the third quarter of 2023, to connect Jordan's Risha station to Iraq's Rutba station to provide the Iraqi side with a voltage of 132 KV. This interconnection line will allow the Iraqis to power the Rutba area's loads, which is estimated at around 40 MW, using the Jordanian grid.

There are plans to strengthen the interconnection line to handle up to 1,000 megawatts, noted the report. This will require reinforcing the national grid in the eastern part of the Kingdom by building 400 kV transmission lines that will span 320 km between Risha and Azraq. After the first stage is completed, detailed studies will be conducted on the synchronous interconnection.

Since 1999, the Jordanian electrical network has been linked to the Egyptian network via a 13 km 400 kV submarine cable that crosses the gulf of Aqaba. This connection has a capacity of 550 MW and the two countries renew their contract for energy exchange on an annual basis.

Jordanian and Egyptian authorities are currently undertaking necessary measures to potentially raise the capacity of the interconnection line to 1,100 MW by the end of 2026.

The report stated that there was an agreement to transmit electrical energy from Jordan to Lebanon through the Syrian network, as well as a contract signed in early 2020 to supply Lebanon with electrical energy, but both have yet to go into effect.

Going over interconnection with Saudi Arabia, technical and economic studies and agreements, have been thoroughly prepared. The electricity companies involved in both countries are currently working together to finalize all project agreements and begin implementing the project.

The Jordanian electricity grid is currently supplying Palestine with 80 megawatts of electricity and they are working together to increase the capacity of the interconnection line to 160 megawatts.

Petra