Amman, April 29 (Petra) – Jordanian and Saudi officials met on Tuesday to discuss progress on the electricity interconnection project between the two countries, during a joint session hosted by the National Electric Power Company (NEPCO) in Amman.

The meeting aimed to bolster bilateral cooperation in the energy sector and accelerate the project's implementation.

The session was co-chaired by Amani Azzam, Secretary-General of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, and Sufyan Batayneh, Director-General of NEPCO, with the participation of a high-level delegation from Saudi Arabia.

In a press statement, Batayneh emphasized the urgency of finalizing the project’s three core agreements executive, operational, and commercial targeting their official signing before the end of this year. He noted that these agreements will pave the way for the project’s commercial launch by the end of 2029.

Batayneh explained that the electricity interconnection will strengthen the reliability of both countries' national power grids by enabling energy exchange during peak demand periods and leveraging daily and seasonal demand differences. This will enhance system stability and operational efficiency.

He described the project as a strategic step toward establishing a regional electricity market and fostering broader Arab energy integration. Batayneh stressed that such interconnection is increasingly vital in modern energy systems reliant on renewable sources, as it reduces costs and enhances flexibility.

Azzam reaffirmed Jordan’s commitment to advancing interconnection projects with neighboring countries, part of a broader strategy to position the Kingdom as a regional hub for energy exchange and integration.

In August 2020, Jordan and Saudi Arabia signed a memorandum of understanding to activate the electricity interconnection initiative. The agreement supports the larger Arab Common Market for Electricity project, which aims to link electricity grids across the Gulf Cooperation Council, the Levant, and North Africa.

NEPCO and its Saudi counterpart were assigned to develop the technical and implementation frameworks for the project, which Jordan continues to champion through regional cooperation efforts.

//Petra// AO

29/04/2025 14:37:43