NEPCO hosts 4th meeting on Arab Mashreq energy exchange project

AMMAN — The National Electric Power Company (NEPCO) on Monday hosted the fourth meeting of the pilot project for energy exchange among Arab Mashreq countries, serving as the “nucleus” for the Arab Common Electricity Market.

NEPCO is hosting the meeting, held under the auspices of the Arab League, on Monday and Tuesday, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources and NEPCO represented the Kingdom at the meeting, alongside their counterparts from Saudi Arabia and Egypt.

The meeting sought to reach agreement on the technical aspects necessary to establish the pilot project, setting the stage for the accession of additional Arab countries in subsequent phases.

This initiative marks the foundation for establishing a common Arab electricity market grounded in commercial and economic principles.

It aims to deliver energy to the region’s populations at the “lowest cost and highest quality,” while supporting the transition to renewable energy sources and reducing carbon emissions.

The project is “important” for advancing Arab economic integration, in line with the Arab League’s objectives of enhancing economic cooperation among member states.

It also aims to facilitate regional energy trade and bolster energy security by linking national grids and creating an official regional electricity market.

Future plans envision linking the power systems of all Arab countries, promoting investment opportunities and saving billions of dollars by reducing costs and minimising the need for new power plants.

According to studies published by the Arab League, these interconnection projects are expected to be completed by 2038.

Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt were selected for the pilot project based on existing electricity links between Jordan and Egypt, which have been in place for more than two decades, as well as the ongoing 3,000-megawatt interconnection project between Egypt and Saudi Arabia, expected to be operational by the end of 2025.

Negotiations are ongoing between Jordan and Saudi Arabia to finalise their electricity interconnection agreement, Petra added.