Jordan has agreed to supply 150 MW of electricity to Iraq via the proposed Jordan–Iraq Power Transmission Project (JIPT), which is expected to be completed by end-2024.
The first phase of the project entails the construction of a 300-km-long, 400 kV transmission line connecting the Al-Risha substation in Jordan with the Al-Qaim electrical transformation station in Iraq. It also includes the commissioning of switchgear at the 400/132/33 kV Risha substation. The project will help in meeting the load requirements of Al-Qaim region of Iraq. Notably in September 2020, the two governments signed a contract to link their electricity networks and trade electricity. In the first phase of the project, Jordan will provide Iraq with 150 MW, after completing the network link between the two countries, followed by a second phase that will allow the two sides to increase the capacity of electricity exchange to 500 MW and in third phase to 900 MW. The project implementation mechanism for the interconnector was signed by Jordan’s National Electric Power Company (NEPCO) and Iraq’s General Electricity Transmission Company- Central Region. Iraq is also in talks with other Gulf countries to provide up to 500 MW of electricity for the Basra Governorate. The aim is to establish electrical interconnections with neighbouring countries, thereby increasing Iraq’s electricity supply. Meanwhile, Iraq also signed an agreement with Saudi Arabia for the supply of 1,000 MW of electricity to the former’s national grid.