By:Zawya

Jordan has confirmed that a project to nearly quadruple power supplies to nearby Iraq will be ready in August within Phase 2 of their electricity grid connection.

Iraq, which is suffering from a persistent power shortage, was buying around 40 MW in the first quarter of 2024 when phase 1 of the project was finished.

Almost 99 percent of the project inside Iraq's territory is complete and the facilities will be fully ready in August, according to a top executive of of Jordan’s National Electric Power Company (NEPCO). 

“The plan is moving as per schedule….at the end of August, we will be able to supply 150 MW of electricity to Iraq…supplies could be gradually increased to 500 MW,” said Sufian Al-Batayneh, General Manager of NEPCO.

Writing in the Company’s 2024 report published on its website this week, Al-Batayheh said the link-up project with Iraq was launched in 2022 with the aim of tackling the Arab country’s power shortages caused by lack of maintenance and gas supply from Iran.

He did not mention when the three-phase project would be completed but officials said in 2024 that Jordan could supply Iraq with 500 MW within three years.

Jordan is also planning to connect its power network with that of Saudi Arabia for exchange of power supplies in emergency and securing electricity for remote border areas in both countries.

“We have completed technical and economic studies for the connection with Saudi Arabia…we are now preparing the agreements that will be signed between the two countries for the launching of this strategic project,” Al-Batayneh said.

Locked in a post-conflict reconstruction of its facilities, Iraq also receives electricity from Turkey and is completing an interconnection with the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) through neighboring Kuwait.