Energy In Jordan

[B-Patriot]

So when does Jordan expect to begin producing Oil (shale) at significant/commercial levels? 2020?

I thought i read somewhere in an old article that it will take a long time, something like 15 yrs at least before that happens..

[lealfonse]

Originally Posted by B-Patriot

So when does Jordan expect to begin producing Oil (shale) at significant/commercial levels? 2020?

I thought i read somewhere in an old article that it will take a long time, something like 15 yrs at least before that happens..

According to the news, For Royal Dutch Shell they will produce the oil shale somewhere in 2020s because they occupied a very big land and it will take a long time but the Estonian company Eesti energia since they are only focusing one specific place, they will commercially produce at least 32,000 barrel a day before 2020s, perhaps maybe 2015. According to the jordanian government energy plan in 2020, 14% will be produced from oil shale. Thats what I read also and I hope its true. The government is actually very serious about producing its oil shale it even more than the USA itself.

[lealfonse]

Cabinet to ratify oil shale deal


By Taylor Luck

AMMAN - Jordan is set to ratify a “landmark” oil shale deal today, a senior energy official said on Monday.

The Cabinet is expected to approve an agreement for the exploration and production of oil shale reached by the Natural Resource Authority (NRA) and Estonian firm Eesti Energia, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Khalid Irani told The Jordan Times yesterday.

“This is a very strategic and very important deal for Jordan,” he said on the sidelines of a power quality conference, adding that the deal is expected to be officially signed in a ceremony next month in the presence of Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves.

The project, estimated to cost $6 billion, entails the development of full-scale oil shale extraction and retorting in a 30-square-kilometre concession area in Al Attarat in the central region, NRA Director Maher Hijazeen told The Jordan Times previously.

The NRA expects extraction and retorting activities to reach full capacity, with a potential output of 36,000 barrels of oil daily, within the next eight years.

Eesti Energia previously conducted a two-year feasibility study indicating that one of the Kingdom’s two dozen locations rich in oil shale deposits has the potential to produce over 30,000 barrels a day.

Last year, the government contracted the Royal Dutch Shell Oil Company to utilise the in situ extraction of oil shale in the eastern parts of the Kingdom, where shale deposits are found at deep levels.

There are 23 known surface and near-surface shale deposits and previous NRA studies have revealed that 40 billion tonnes of oil shale exist at 21 sites concentrated near the Yarmouk River, Buweida, Beit Ras, Rweished, Karak, Madaba and Maan.

The Kingdom’s national energy strategy calls for electricity produced from the resource to account for 14 per cent of Jordan’s energy mix within the next decade.

Also in today’s session, the Cabinet is expected to consider a proposal by Canadian firm Ammonite Energy for oil exploration in the Jafr area, a 19,156-square-kilometre concession area east of the Jordan River.

The Hunt Oil Company previously dug two wells in Al Jafr area in 1989, but neither yielded productive oil discoveries, according to the authority.

4 May 2010

http://www.jordantimes.com/?news=26241

[lealfonse]

‘Deal with Estonian firm to lead to half century of oil shale production’

By Taylor Luck

AMMAN - Jordan’s recent deal with an Estonian firm will pave the way for oil shale production for the next half century, a senior official said on Wednesday.

In a press conference yesterday, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Khalid Irani said the government’s product-sharing agreement with Eesti Energia will entail the extraction and retorting of oil shale for 44 years, including an initial four-year start-up period. He added that the agreement can be renewed for an additional 10 years.

“This will help the country utilise this important resource,” Irani said during a joint press conference yesterday with Minister of Justice Ayman Odeh, Minister of State for Media Affairs and Communications Nabil Sharif and Natural Resource Authority Director Maher Hijazeen.

The deal, which was approved by the Cabinet on Tuesday, entails the initial production of 20,000 gallons of shale oil a day, a number that is expected to increase to 36,000 barrels daily, Hijazeen said.

The Estonian firm is slated to operate in a 41-square-kilometre area in Attarat, in the central region, and is expected to begin production within five to seven years, with the project requiring up to $6 billion in investments, Irani noted.

Eesti Energia previously carried out a two-year feasibility study indicating that one of the Kingdom’s two dozen locations rich in oil shale deposits has the potential to produce over 30,000 barrels a day.

Hijazeen underlined that the Estonian firm has extensive experience in oil shale exploration and extraction, pointing out that Estonia is currently the only country in the world that relies mainly on oil shale for its energy needs.

Electricity produced by oil shale is to account for 14 per cent of the Kingdom’s energy mix within the next decade, Irani highlighted, expressing hope that with technological advances the resource’s energy share can increase to 25 per cent or higher.

Shale oil production in the central region will run in parallel with efforts by the Royal Dutch Shell Oil Company, which is looking to utilise its patented In-Situ Conversion process in the eastern desert, where shale deposits are deep and cannot be extracted with conventional mining methods.

Irani underlined that the Kingdom is home to the fourth-largest shale deposits in the world - making the resource vital to achieving energy independence.

Jordan currently imports 96 per cent of its energy at a cost of 13 per cent of its gross domestic product.

There are 23 known surface and near-surface shale deposits in the country.

Previous NRA studies have revealed that 40 billion tonnes of oil shale exist at 21 sites concentrated near the Yarmouk River, Buweida, Beit Ras, Rweished, Karak, Madaba and Maan.

According to the World Energy Council, a London-based international organisation, shale reserves cover more than 60 per cent of the country and amount to in excess of 50 billion tonnes.

6 May 2010


http://www.jordantimes.com/?news=26311

[B-Patriot]

Originally Posted by lealfonse

Jordan currently imports 96 per cent of its energy at a cost of 13 per cent of its gross domestic product.

http://www.jordantimes.com/?news=26311

13 percent..? Wow.. that must eat up like a quarter of the government's budget, if not more...

[lealfonse]

Monarch meets Estonian PM as energy deal inked

By Taylor Luck

AMMAN - His Majesty King Abdullah on Tuesday received Estonian Prime Minister Andrus Ansip as the two countries finalised a "historic" oil shale agreement.

In yesterday’s meeting, the King highlighted the opportunities to expand cooperation between Jordan and Estonia, particularly in the fields of economy, investment, energy and tourism with the participation of the two countries’ private sectors, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Talks also covered current regional developments and efforts to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict on the basis of a two-state solution and within a regional context.

Also yesterday, Ansip attended the signing of a “historic” oil shale agreement between the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources and Estonian state-owned Eesti Energia.

The agreement, signed by Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Khalid Irani, Natural Resources Director Maher Hijazeen and Eesti Energia CEO Sandor Liive, will entail the extraction of two billion tonnes of oil shale from the site, with the potential of producing four billion tonnes of oil, Petra reported.

Under the 44-year deal, expandable for an additional decade, the Estonian firm is to extract oil shale in a 41-square-kilometre concession area in Attarat in the central region.

The deal, which was approved by the Cabinet last week, entails the initial production of 20,000 gallons of oil shale a day, a number that is expected to increase to 36,000 barrels daily. Involving an estimated $6 billion in investments, the company is expected to begin production of oil extracted from shale within five to seven years.

“I hope that this will be the start of an oil shale industry in Jordan,” Ansip told The Jordan Times in an interview yesterday.

He added that the oil shale deal is “hugely important” for Estonia, and marks the first project of its kind outside of the country, which has a century of experience in the field.

In addition to utilising the resource to provide 100 per cent of the nation’s electricity needs, Estonia is also using oil shale to export electricity to its neighbours Finland, Latvia and Lithuania.

Estonia is slated to provide Lithuania with 10 per cent of its electricity demand soon, he noted.

With further utilisation of oil shale reserves, Jordan, home to 50 billion tonnes according to various estimates, cannot only gain energy independence but become an electricity exporter.

“If it worked in Estonia, why not in Jordan?” the Estonian premier said, underlining that the product sharing agreement includes a host of benefits for the Kingdom.

“Through this project, Estonia will give oil and electricity to Jordan and create jobs for Jordanians,” he stressed.

He noted that initial challenges in utilising the Kingdom’s reserves included the relatively high amount of sulphur in the shale deposits, stressing that with technological advances it is “no longer a big issue” in extracting oil shale.

Plans for future collaboration between Jordan and Estonia in the energy sector include the construction of a plant for producing electricity from oil shale, he said, noting that Estonia’s private sector energy firms may also be interested in the Jordanian market.

Ansip also highlighted the importance of the investment protection and promotion agreement he signed with Prime Minister Samir Rifai on Monday to boost investments between the two countries.

“We hope to host Jordanian leaders and entrepreneurs in Estonia,” he said.

The first official Estonian visit to Jordan was made in 1994 by then-president Lennart Meri. Since then, relations have flourished on the international arena, namely through the UN and the EU, he said, as the two small nations have “a lot in common”.

Estonia, like Jordan, has gone through economic reforms to reduce public expenditures, he highlighted. Also similar to the Kingdom, Estonia is aiming to develop its own nuclear power programme, Ansip said, noting that Estonia’s oil shale reserves are projected to be depleted within the next 40 years.

Both countries have embarked on e-government programmes, the Estonian premier pointed out, underlining that in Estonia everything from healthcare to pensions to police matters are conducted online - with 92 per cent of tax declarations last year filed over the Internet.

“Now people are really satisfied with all public agencies on the Internet,” he said, adding that both countries can learn from each other’s experience in bringing government services in step with the digital age.

In regards to tourism, more is to be done to encourage Estonian visitors to come to the Kingdom, he said, which is attractive due to its abundant sunshine.

“Estonians are just discovering Arab countries, and although Petra has a high profile, we have to help our people to [learn about] and visit Jordan,” he said, commending Amman for being a “green and clean” capital city.

There are currently no direct flights between Estonia and Amman.

Also yesterday, Minister of Industry and Trade Amer Hadidi met with Estonia’s premier and examined ways to foster economic relations, particularly in the areas of trade and investment.

The two sides agreed to convene a business forum to bring together representatives of the two countries’ private sectors and explore the possibilities of investing in the IT, tourism and construction sectors.

The official delegation is slated to leave Amman today.

But the Estonian premier, who said he promised his family last year to make an unofficial tour of the Kingdom’s historical and natural sites, expressed hope to return to Jordan soon.

“We look forward to seeing this beautiful country,” he said.

12 May 2010

http://www.jordantimes.com/?news=26490

[lealfonse]

Jordan Targets 100,000 B/D Oil Output By 2020

AMMAN(Dow Jones)--Jordan is planning to produce up to 100,000 barrels a day by 2020 from the country's vast oil shale-rock formation and other oil exploration blocks from almost nothing now, senior Jordanian energy and company officials said.

"We are determined to achieve this goal," director-general of the state Natural Resources Authority, or NRA, Maher Hijazin said late Tuesday at the signing ceremony of an oil-shale concession agreement with Estonia's Eesti Energia, better known as Enefit.

Under the deal, Enefit is expected to invest $5 billion over 10 years and to reach a production target of 40,000 barrels, or about 40% of Jordan's current oil needs, from a 40-square-kilometer area that is part of Attarat Um El-Ghudran region in southern Jordan, said Harri Mikk, member of the management board of Enefit.

Jordan's total output would be a drop in the bucket even if it hits its 10-year goal. Global demand was 84.77 million barrels a day last year, according to the International Energy Agency.

But the development would help Jordan meet domestic energy requirements as it looks to expand an economy that has been hit hard by costly bills--around $2.8 billion in 2008, according to government figures--for petroleum imports.

The kingdom now imports 96% of its energy needs, the country energy minister Khaled al-Irani said.

Jordan is believed to be the holder of the world's fourth largest oil-shale resources, with Enefit and the government estimating that about 45 billion tons of oil shale could contain up to 28 billion barrels of oil.

Development of the fields is feasible because as long as oil prices remain strong. On the New York Mercantile Exchange, light, sweet crude futures for delivery in June traded above $75 a barrel early Wednesday.

The Attarat Um El-Ghudran--"Mother of Springs" in Arabic--region as a whole is believed to contain the largest oil-shale deposits in the kingdom, with an estimated 25 billion tons.

"Enefit's concession area is believed to contain 2.6 billion tons of oil shale that could be translated to 1.5 billion barrels of oil," Mikk told Dow Jones Newswires.

Before it can build the plant to process oil-shale rock, Enefit needs to carry out further survey and additional mine studies and testing, which will take as long as four years. The company is expected to invest $60 million in that time, Mikk said.

The construction of the project will take three years, he added. Total project development would continue for 40 years, he said.

Enefit will hold 76% stake in the project, while a local Jordanian group called Near East would own the remaining 24%, Mikk said.

Under a regime approved by the Jordanian cabinet, a contractor carries the cost of exploration but the government will receive a variable share of eventual production. At low levels of output, the government shares 40%, but once production rises, for example to 200,000 barrels a day, the government's share reaches 70%, officials have said.

Hijazin said that the Jordanian government is expected to sign two similar concession agreements by the end of this year. He didn't elaborate. Jordan has previously signed eight MOUs to carry out technical and feasibility studies on the kingdom's oil shale. So far two had been materialized to deals.

The kingdom signed last year a concession agreement with Royal Dutch Shell PLC (RDSB) to explore oil in the country's oil-shale deposits. Shell is expected to invest billions of dollars in the project over 20 years.

Shell is planning to drill 30 to 83 wells by the end of this year in its concession area of 22,000 square kilometers, officials from the NRA told local press Monday. Shell is planning to drill the first well this month, they said.

Jordan also signed a deal last year with BP PLC (BP) that could be worth up to $8 billion to explore and boost output from the kingdom's Risha gas field, near the border with Iraq.

-By Hassan Hafidh; Dow Jones Newswires; +962 799 831 831; hassan.hafidh@dowjones.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

12-05-10 1025GMT
http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-...atestheadlines

[lealfonse]

Jordan weighs three offers to build nuclear reactor

AMMAN, May 12, 2010 (AFP) - Jordan is studying offers from Russian, Canadian and French firms to build a nuclear reactor to help the energy-poor kingdom meet its power needs after rejecting a South Korean bid, an official said on Tuesday.

"Jordan is currently examining offers by Russia's Atomstroyexport, Atomic Energy of Canada and a third joint one by France's Areva and Japan's Mitsubishi," the Jordanian official told AFP on condition of anonymity.

"The offer by the South Korean consortium led by Korea Electric Power Corporation has been dropped for financial, technical and other reasons."

Jordan, which imports 95 percent of its energy needs and is one of the 10 most water-impoverished countries in the world, is seeking to build the 1,000-megawatt nuclear plant near the Red Sea port of Aqaba to generate power and desalinate water.

Amman will announce the winning proposal within a year, the official said.

In March, the state-run Korean Atomic Energy Research Institute and Daewoo Engineering and Construction Co signed a deal with Jordan to construct a nuclear reactor for research and training at the Jordan University for Sciences and Technology near the northern city of Irbid.

It is the latest Arab country, including Egypt and pro-Western Gulf states, to announce plans for nuclear power projects despite the ongoing controversy over Iran's atomic drive.

kt-akh/sma/hc

© Copyright AFP 2010.

[lealfonse]

Plans for world’s largest photovoltaic power plant unveiled

By Taylor Luck

AMMAN - An international consortium on Wednesday unveiled plans for what is expected to be the largest photovoltaic (PV) power plant in the world in Maan.

A consortium comprising Amman-based Kawar Energy and Italian firm Solar Ventures yesterday detailed the specifics of the Shams Maan project, a 100 megawatt (MW) solar power plant which would produce nearly twice the electricity of the current largest PV plant in Olmedilla, Spain, a 60MW structure.

In an event yesterday to unveil the progress of the project and explore solar power technology and financing options, Kawar Energy CEO Hana Zaghloul said the plant’s capacity will have the potential to be expanded to over 200MW of electricity.

The plant, which is estimated to cost up to $400 million, would save the Kingdom up to 160,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually, according to the consortium.

Earlier this year, the Maan Development Area provided the consortium with a two-square-kilometre plot of land, an area that can be increased to five square kilometres should the power plant expand its capacity.

According to Solar Ventures Chairman Michele Appendino, the area is ideal due to its location in an area that receives one of the highest amounts of solar radiation on Earth, proximity to the electricity grid, road and railway infrastructure, and the low frequency of sandstorms.

Once operational, the plant will have an initial generation capacity of 1,600 to 2,200 kilowatt hours per year, approximately 1.2 per cent of the country’s current electricity generation.

The construction of the power plant, slated to begin in 2011, will create 500 job opportunities, while the management and maintenance of the power plant will employ at least 40 people, they indicated.

The consortium is currently in the process of examining PV technologies, and is considering either traditional PV cells or concentrated photovoltaic technology.

The National Energy Research Centre is to carry out a detailed study on the site selected for the plant, in order to aid in the technology selection, the consortium said.

Deputising for His Majesty King Abdullah, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Khalid Irani said the project, the first large-scale private sector renewable energy generating project in Jordan, is in line with the ministry’s national energy strategy, which calls for the production of 600MW of solar and 1,000MW of wind energy by 2020.

“The Middle East’s deserts could be developed to generate energy to meet local, regional and extra-regional needs,” he said at the opening.

Noting that the current economic climate has posed difficulties in funding renewable energy projects, Irani stressed that the government is formulating a strategy to facilitate investments in the sector through economic incentives to make ventures “financially viable”.

Irani underlined that the energy strategy calls for the Kingdom to reduce fuel imports by 15-20 per cent, saving 2-2.5 per cent of its gross domestic product.

If followed according to schedule, the goals outlined in the strategy are projected to create 2,500 new jobs for maintenance and operation as well as an additional 500 jobs for the installation of renewable energy projects and technology across Jordan.

The increase of renewable energy under the strategy is expected to cut emissions in the Kingdom by two million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, with Jordan playing its part in reducing harmful gasses contributing to climate change, he said.
20 May 2010

http://www.jordantimes.com/?news=26730

[lealfonse]

Jordan, South Korea to cooperate on regulatory issues

By Taylor Luck

AMMAN - Jordan and South Korea have pledged to cooperate on nuclear regulatory issues as part of an agreement signed on Saturday.

Under the agreement between the Jordan Nuclear Regulatory Commission (JNRC) and the Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety (KINS), Jordan and South Korea will work closely on safety issues related to nuclear facilities and activities.

The agreement, signed by KINS President Choul-Ho Yun and JNRC Director General Jamal Sharaf, calls for regulating nuclear reactors and nuclear research as well as drafting legislation governing the preparatory stages of establishing the Kingdom’s first nuclear reactor.

In addition to sharing reports of incidents during the construction and operation of nuclear facilities, the two sides will also disclose the results of research, tests or inspections with safety implications, according to the agreement, made available to The Jordan Times.

The deal also paves the way for joint programmes and projects in safety research and development as well as joint workshops to boost expertise exchange, according to the JNRC.

The accord, which falls within the framework of the nuclear cooperation agreement signed by the two countries in 2008, comes ahead of the construction of a nuclear research reactor by a Korean technology supplier.

A South Korean consortium is slated to build an open-pool 5-megawatt (MW) research reactor, upgradeable to 10MW, as part of a national technology and training centre at the Jordan University of Science and Technology near Irbid.

Construction work on the plant is expected to start next month, with an 18-month period devoted to environmental and seismic feasibility studies.

The reactor, which will have the potential to produce 10 times the amount of radioisotopes currently used in Jordan, is expected to be operational by 2015.

Jordan’s peaceful nuclear programme, which aims to reduce the country’s dependence on energy imports, entails the construction of a 1,000MW nuclear reactor by the end of the decade.

23 May 2010

[MARTYR]

Shams Ma'an Power Generation PSC Project Presentation Commences

Amman - May 19, 2010: With extensive engagement from decision makers and influencers in the energy industry from Jordan as well as from diverse parts of the world, the Shams Ma'an Project Presentation will be held on May19th through May 20th at the Four Seasons Hotel in Amman, Jordan. Over 200 participants from the solar energy industry, financial and banking sectors, consultants, donors, EPC's as well as legislators from governmental and semi-governmental organizations will be attending the event, which will feature keynote presentations and panel discussions. The Shams Ma'an Project Presentation, which is organized by Kawar Energy, Solar Ventures and 1st International Investments, and supported by the Ma'an Development Area through its gold sponsorship, seeks to introduce Jordan's most significant renewable energy project in extensive detail as well as update all stakeholders on the progress of the project to date.

The Shams Ma'an Project, a 100MW photovoltaic (PV) power plant spread across 2 million square meters located in the southern part of Jordan within MDA's Industrial Park, will utilize approximately 360000 to 2 million PV/CPV panels (depending on the technology), producing around 168 GWh per year and preventing around 160000 tons of CO2 emission. The project is expected to be carried out within four phases, evaluation, pilot, feasibility study and finally implementation upon reaching an agreement with the government at which time the project is expected to be completed by the end of 2012 going into its production phase. When materialized in 2012, the estimated $400 million project is expected to be the largest PV plant in the world, and will position Jordan on the global renewable energy map attracting investments, technologies and knowhow.

During the event, renowned experts within the alternative energy industry will also address issues facing Jordan in becoming a model for energy sustainability. Jordan currently relies heavily on foreign sources for energy - with 96% of its energy being imported - and ranks fourth in the world as one of the poorest countries in terms of water resources. The initiation of the Shams Ma'an Project will bring Jordan one step closer to self-sustenance for its energy needs based on Ma'an's excellent irradiation index and more than 320 days of sun per year. In addition, it will help Jordan meets its renewable energy target of 7% by 2015 and 10% by 2020 based on the national energy strategy. This event will also provide the ideal platform for the entire value chain within the renewable energy industry to showcase their value propositions to potential investors.

During the event, H.E. Mr. Karim Kawar, Chairman of Kawar Energy said: "Using the sun, of the most abundant sources of energy on earth and harnessing it for the good of Jordan through the Shams Ma'an project will not only will provide clean, sustainable energy to Jordan, but will also have positive long-term socioeconomic effects in southern Jordan by creating hundreds of jobs during the construction phase and subsequent operations, addressing Jordan as the clean energy hub." Commenting on the two day event, Hanna Zaghloul, CEO of Kawar Energy, said: "This is a crucial moment for Jordan to be able to capture and capitalize on one if it's most bountiful resources - the sun- and spearhead its long-term energy independence through Shams Ma'an. Its energy payback is not only the environmental impact but the clear-cut impact on developing our human resources within the new economic wave of green industry. Through this significant event, we hope to forge partnerships and create opportunities that will step up efforts with decision making entities to optimize the capability of Jordan to attract and increase foreign investment for enduring environmental and economic progress." Mr. Mohammed Al Turk, CEO of Ma'an Development Company, elaborated: "Ma'an Development Company considers solar energy to be a priority in their development plans recognizing the high solar resource that Ma'an area offers, which promises to support the country's growing energy needs, putting Ma'an Development Area at the forefront of solar energy innovation in the region. MDA is not only a partner, but it's a home for several industries and planned solar energy projects such as Shams Ma'an. With its uniquely synergetic nature, MDA will provide Shams Ma'an a cohesive environment with a sound and sustainable offering. Shams Ma'an project is in line with and enforces Ma'an Development Company's mandate in creating a solar hub in Jordan for training, research and development in addition to attracting solar technology companies and investors which will have a profound social economical impact on Ma'an". Mr. Michele Appendino, Founder and Chairman of Solar Ventures, also commented on the vital endeavor in investing in Shams Ma'an: "In order for this landmark project to move forward, it is imperative that government initiatives be accelerated to create platforms for entrepreneurs and partners to support all of the phases of this project, which will hopefully offer substantial long-term financial, social and environmental incentives. Solar Ventures' experience in developing large scale renewable energy power plants will help this project realize its full potential within all of its phases." Mr. Ramzi Haffar, a local investor in this project, also commented: "We plan to capitalize on long-term green industry opportunities through funding them locally because Shams Ma'an is the future of the Jordanian renewable energy industry, and is also an inspiring example of pioneering alternative energy ventures." #### About Kawar Energy
Kawar Energy, an eco-friendly project developer, focused on bringing technologies, solutions and services of energy, water and environment projects that are clean, green and sustainable to help our clients reduce and control effectively their long-term energy bill, carbon footprint and ecological impact in Jordan and the Middle East region with a positive socioeconomic affect

[MARTYR]

Plans for world's largest photovoltaic power plant unveiled

AMMAN - An international consortium on Wednesday unveiled plans for what is expected to be the largest photovoltaic (PV) power plant in the world in Maan.

A consortium comprising Amman-based Kawar Energy and Italian firm Solar Ventures yesterday detailed the specifics of the Shams Maan project, a 100 megawatt (MW) solar power plant which would produce nearly twice the electricity of the current largest PV plant in Olmedilla, Spain, a 60MW structure.

In an event yesterday to unveil the progress of the project and explore solar power technology and financing options, Kawar Energy CEO Hana Zaghloul said the plant's capacity will have the potential to be expanded to over 200MW of electricity.

The plant, which is estimated to cost up to $400 million, would save the Kingdom up to 160,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually, according to the consortium.

Earlier this year, the Maan Development Area provided the consortium with a two-square-kilometre plot of land, an area that can be increased to five square kilometres should the power plant expand its capacity.

According to Solar Ventures Chairman Michele Appendino, the area is ideal due to its location in an area that receives one of the highest amounts of solar radiation on Earth, proximity to the electricity grid, road and railway infrastructure, and the low frequency of sandstorms.

Once operational, the plant will have an initial generation capacity of 1,600 to 2,200 kilowatt hours per year, approximately 1.2 per cent of the country's current electricity generation.

The construction of the power plant, slated to begin in 2011, will create 500 job opportunities, while the management and maintenance of the power plant will employ at least 40 people, they indicated.

The consortium is currently in the process of examining PV technologies, and is considering either traditional PV cells or concentrated photovoltaic technology.

The National Energy Research Centre is to carry out a detailed study on the site selected for the plant, in order to aid in the technology selection, the consortium said.

Deputising for His Majesty King Abdullah, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Khalid Irani said the project, the first large-scale private sector renewable energy generating project in Jordan, is in line with the ministry's national energy strategy, which calls for the production of 600MW of solar and 1,000MW of wind energy by 2020.

"The Middle East's deserts could be developed to generate energy to meet local, regional and extra-regional needs," he said at the opening.

Noting that the current economic climate has posed difficulties in funding renewable energy projects, Irani stressed that the government is formulating a strategy to facilitate investments in the sector through economic incentives to make ventures "financially viable".

Irani underlined that the energy strategy calls for the Kingdom to reduce fuel imports by 15-20 per cent, saving 2-2.5 per cent of its gross domestic product.

If followed according to schedule, the goals outlined in the strategy are projected to create 2,500 new jobs for maintenance and operation as well as an additional 500 jobs for the installation of renewable energy projects and technology across Jordan.

The increase of renewable energy under the strategy is expected to cut emissions in the Kingdom by two million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, with Jordan playing its part in reducing harmful gasses contributing to climate change, he said.

[lealfonse]

WSJ: Jordan's Nuclear Ambitions Pose Quandary For


By Jay Solomon Of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
Dow Jones Newswires

SAWAQA, Jordan -(Dow Jones)- The Kingdom of Jordan is in a sprint to become the Arab world's next nuclear power. And America wants to help it succeed.

U.S. and Jordanian officials are negotiating a nuclear-cooperation agreement that would allow American firms to export nuclear components and know-how to the Mideast country, America's closest Arab ally in the volatile region.

The Obama administration views Jordan as a key potential partner in its global program to promote the nonmilitary use of atomic energy--part of a broader plan to increase pressure on other Middle East countries, particularly Iran and Syria, to bring transparency to their own nuclear programs.

"I believe nuclear energy in Jordan will be done in such a way where it is a public-private partnership so everyone can see exactly what's going on," Jordan's King Abdullah II said in an interview. "If we can be the model of transparency, it will push others."

But it's a partnership that puts the Obama administration in a bind: It is trying to make good on its pledge to promote greater civilian use of atomic energy, without angering Israel and risking a Mideast arms race.

(This story and related background material will be available on The Wall Street Journal Web site, WSJ.com.)

The deal has catches for the Jordanians, too: The U.S. is demanding that Amman not produce its own nuclear fuel. That's a right Jordan enjoys as a signatory to the United Nations key nonproliferation treaty--and is reluctant to surrender, thanks to its recent discoveries of big deposits of uranium ore.

The U.S. last week pushed through the United Nations a fourth round of economic sanctions against Iran in a bid to curtail its advancing nuclear work. Tehran says its program is purely for civilian purposes, a charge challenged by the U.N. and the West. U.S. officials worry the Arab states, fearing the Iranian threat, could one day seek to develop atomic weapons themselves.

Senior Jordanian officials say Amman can't renounce its right to produce nuclear fuel under the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, both for strategic and economic reasons. They say that if Jordan cuts a side agreement with the U.S. on this point it would undermine the integrity of the treaty. They also say such an agreement would limit Jordan's ambition to become a "regional nuclear fuel supply and export center."

Failure to reach consensus on this point, U.S. and Jordanian officials acknowledge, could kill the cooperation deal.

"We believe in the universality of the NPT," said Khaled Toukan, the head of the Jordan Atomic Energy Commission. "We do not agree on applying conditions and restrictions outside of the NPT on a regional basis or a country-by-country basis."

Jordan is among a slew of Arab countries, including Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, that are seeking to become among the first Mideast countries to develop a civilian nuclear-power industry. Israel is the lone country in the region believed to possess atomic weapons, but it hasn't moved to build nuclear power plants.

Jordan's nuclear ambitions are driven by economics. Wedged between Israel and oil giants Saudi Arabia and Iraq, the kingdom is 95% dependent on imported oil and has among the world's smallest reserves of potable water.

But the discovery of at least 65,000 tons of uranium ore in the deserts outside Amman in 2007 has led King Abdullah to order a drastic reshaping of his nation's economic strategy.

French and Chinese geologists are combing southern, central and eastern Jordan in search of additional uranium deposits. In addition to fueling its own plants, Jordan hopes to use its projected four nuclear power plants to begin exporting electricity to neighbors including Iraq and Syria by 2030 and to commercially mine and export uranium. Even if it doesn't process any nuclear fuel itself, Jordan could still produce and export electricity by buying the fuel for its reactors on the international market.

"Now that we have a raw material, people are coming for the first time in our history and knocking on our door," King Abdullah said in the interview.

U.S. officials say they recognize Jordan's desire to achieve energy independence. They praise Jordan's early outreach to the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, and Amman's willingness to allow international inspectors unhindered access to its growing nuclear infrastructure.

But U.S. negotiators are unwavering in their insistence that Amman commit to purchasing its reactor fuel from the international market to guard against its potential internal diversion for military purposes. Iran's insistence on producing its own nuclear fuel stands at the center of its current conflict with the West.

U.S. officials argue if Jordan doesn't surrender its rights to produce fuel, it raises proliferation risks. Countries with the complete nuclear fuel cycle--from mining uranium to processing it into fuel--can convert their civilian plants for military applications. Under terms of the U.S. agreement, Jordan could mine the ore but not convert it into fuel for nuclear power.

Such fears could hamstring Washington's ability to win necessary congressional approval for a nuclear cooperation agreement with Jordan. Last year, Congress approved a similar deal with the United Arab Emirates only after the country agreed to buy its nuclear fuel overseas.

Jordan could pursue its nuclear ambitions without the U.S., but would face steep diplomatic and financial hurdles. Still, Amman is aggressively pressing forward: In March, it purchased a research reactor for a northern Jordanian university and is in talks with four international consortia to buy its first nuclear power plant.

Those moves are stoking tensions with neighboring Israel.

In the interview, King Abdullah said Israel has been pressuring countries like South Korea and France not to sell nuclear technologies to Jordan. He said Israel's "underhanded" actions have helped bring Jordan-Israeli relations to their lowest point since a 1994 peace agreement.

"There are countries, Israel in particular, that are more worried about us being economically independent than the issue of nuclear energy, and have been voicing their concerns," King Abdullah said. "There are many such reactors in the world and a lot more coming, so [the Israelis must] go mind their own business."

Israeli officials denied any effort to undermine Amman's nuclear procurement efforts.

Jordan's fixation on nuclear power is rooted in its near total dependence on imported oil.

When global oil prices spiked above $100 a barrel in 2007, Amman was forced to spend the equivalent of 20% of its total economic output on energy. That bill could rise sharply over the next decade, say Jordanian officials, as electricity demand is projected to double.

Energy shortages have also threatened Amman's ability to address its severe water deficiency with power-hungry desalination plants near the Red Sea.

The oil-price shock led King Abdullah and his ministers in 2007 to fashion a new energy strategy. The project calls for Jordan to draw 10% of its energy from solar and wind by 2020; 30% from natural gas; and 14% from oil shale. The strategy foresees a special role for nuclear power: 30% of Jordan's overall energy needs by 2030.

The center of Jordan's uranium push is the desolate Bedouin village of Sawaqa, an hour south of Amman. Here the French nuclear-power giant, Areva SA, is partnering with Jordanian mining firms and geologists to try to transform the area into a major center for uranium production.

An encampment of rowed housing units, a cafeteria and sheds used to store and test mineral samples stands amid central Jordan's barren, gravely landscape. A lone camel occasionally meanders past the walled site.

Jordanian geologists have explored the Sawaqa area for decades, confirming sizable deposits of phosphates and oil shale. But the joint Areva-Jordanian camp's general manager, Gilles Recoche, has been tasked to ensure the uranium ore found here and nearby can be mined on a commercially viable scale. He then hopes to process the ore on-site into the powdery substance known as yellowcake, which can in turn be processed into the low-enriched uranium used to power nuclear reactors.

On a recent afternoon outside the Sawaqa camp, Mr. Recoche and his Jordanian colleague, Allam Saymeh, walked through a dug-out excavation trench with gamma-radiation guns.

Moving through the narrow sandy passage, they point out the yellow stains on the trench's rock walls that indicate uranium ore. They then pass their guns over the yellow markings to gauge the grade of the uranium-- anything over 100 particles-per-million is judged to have commercial prospects.

"This project is my child," said the 52-year-old Mr. Saymeh, noting that he'd explored the areas around Sawaqa since the 1980s.

Jordan's government is also putting in place the bureaucracy and infrastructure to run its nuclear program. Parliament has passed laws establishing the country's first nuclear regulatory body and the Atomic Energy Commission.

Amman has signed nuclear-cooperation agreements with eight countries, including France, China and Russia. Negotiations have begun with such companies as Russia's Rosatom Corp. and Seoul's Korea Electric Power Corp. to construct Jordan's first power reactor.

The nuclear program's point man is Mr. Toukan, a Massachusetts Institute of Technology-trained nuclear scientist and a former education minister. As chairman of the country's Atomic Energy Commission, the 55-year-old has broad powers, overseeing everything from choosing the reactor's construction site to negotiating the cooperation agreement with the U.S. He views Jordan's nuclear program as providing the base for a scientific resurgence across the Middle East.

A focal point is the nuclear-engineering department at the Jordan University of Science and Technology in the northern city of Irbid. Here, Mr. Toukan's agency contracted in March with a South Korean consortium to build Jordan's first 5-megawatt research reactor, which could break ground later this year.

Students and teachers on the expansive palm-tree-lined campus talk excitedly of the research reactor's arrival. The nuclear-engineering department is only three years old, with just 100 students.

"Right now, we have nothing practical to work on here," says Abtihal Almalahim, a 21-year old junior and one of the program's female candidates. The reactor's arrival "will make our study a lot more real."

A key to achieving King Abdullah's ambitions, however, remains the cooperation agreement with the U.S., say Jordanian officials.

They say it could prove difficult to secure some of the core technologies for their nuclear infrastructure without the Obama administration's seal of approval. The U.S. is a leading player in the Nuclear Suppliers Group, a Vienna-based body aimed at controlling the flow of nuclear technologies internationally. Many reactors from France, Japan and Canada contain significant U.S. components and would require Washington's approval for a sale.

Mr. Toukan nearly concluded a nuclear-cooperation pact with George W. Bush's administration in 2008, according to Jordanian and American officials. It got sidelined in the final months of Mr. Bush's term as Washington aggressively pushed forward and completed a separate nuclear deal with the United Arab Emirates, which does not have its own uranium reserves and agreed to purchase all its reactor fuel from international suppliers.

The Obama administration views the U.A.E. deal as a model for its nonproliferation drive. American experts say it would be virtually impossible for the Emirates or any other nation to develop atomic weapons without the ability to produce highly enriched uranium at home.

The White House has good reason to stick to its guns in its talks with Jordan: the U.A.E., in its agreement with the U.S., won the right to negotiate a new deal if another Mideast country concludes a nuclear pact with the U.S. on more favorable terms.

King Abdullah, is pushing ahead. He met one-on-one with President Obama during Washington's nuclear security summit in April to discuss regional peace and nonproliferation issues, according to Jordanian officials.

The king also instructed his foreign minister to formally reprimand Israel's ambassador to Jordan over the charges that Israel has been seeking to block the sale of the South Korean or French reactors to Jordan.

On the outskirts of the port city of Aqaba, just miles from the Israeli resort city of Eilat, international contractors have been conducting feasibility studies to gauge whether the site can house Jordan's first nuclear-power reactor. Aqaba also lies close to a seismic fault line. Israeli officials have publicly voiced concerns about a reactor being situated so close to the fault.

"We are way ahead of Israel" when it comes to securing new reactor technology, King Abdullah said. "And if you have the private sector involved in nuclear power, it's difficult to do anything sinister."

Copyright © 2009 Dow Jones Newswires

[lealfonse]

No problems facing Jordan-US nuclear talks - Sharif

By Hani Hazaimeh

AMMAN - The government on Saturday said that talks between Jordan and the US over a nuclear cooperation agreement (NCA) are ongoing smoothly with no hurdles.

Minister of State for Media Affairs and Communications and Government Spokesperson Nabil Sharif told The Jordan Times yesterday that “talks are ongoing to sign a nuclear cooperation agreement between the two countries and reports of problems hindering this endeavour are baseless”.

He said that there is a high level of coordination and cooperation between Amman and Washington, which “enjoy very close ties”.

Reports have quoted officials as saying that Jordan will not relinquish its right to peaceful nuclear power as guaranteed by international treaties under any nuclear deal with any party.

Khaled Toukan, chairman of the Jordan Atomic Energy Commission, has been quoted as saying that the country will not follow suit of the United Arab Emirates, which has relinquished all its nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty rights to sensitive nuclear technology indefinitely under a deal with Washington.

Jordan has already signed NCAs with France, Spain, China, South Korea, Canada, Russia, the UK and Argentina. An agreement with Japan was drafted earlier in June and is expected to be signed by the end of this year.

In March, the Kingdom unveiled its first storage facility for radioactive waste, which US officials said was funded in part by the US Department of Energy through its Global Threat Reduction Fund. At the time, US embassy and Department of Energy representatives expressed interest in closer cooperation with Jordan in the nuclear field in the near future.

Jordan, which imports 95 per cent of its energy needs at a cost of 13 per cent of its gross domestic product, is known to have significant uranium reserves, although the full extent of these reserves is not yet known.

Uranium mining activities are currently expected to begin in early 2013.

The Kingdom’s peaceful nuclear energy programme is a central part of its strategy to achieve energy independence and become a net energy exporter by 2030.

4 July 2010

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'France stands by Jordan’s nuclear programme'

By Taylor Luck

AMMAN - France supports Jordan’s right to enrich uranium as outlined in the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, the top French diplomat in Amman said on Tuesday.

During a press meeting yesterday to mark Bastille Day, observed on July 14, French Ambassador in Amman Corinne Breuzژ said France respects Jordan’s right to civilian nuclear energy as outlined in various international treaties and conventions.

"There is no reason for Jordan not to build its own nuclear reactor," she said in response to a question, adding that Paris respects Jordan’s commitment to various international conventions and International Atomic Energy Agency regulations.

France, which has signed a nuclear cooperation agreement with the Kingdom, is assisting Jordan’s nuclear power programme in several areas, Breuzژ pointed out.

The envoy referred to French Prime Minister Francois Fillon’s visit to the Kingdom in February, which culminated in the signing of a uranium mining agreement paving the way for an open-pit uranium mine to be constructed in the central region by French firm AREVA and the Jordanian-French Uranium Mining Company.

The firm is operating within a 1,400-square-kilometre concession area in the central region, encompassing Swaqa, Khan Azzabib, Wadi Maghar and Attarat, and is expected to commence uranium mining as early as 2012.

Breuzژ also highlighted the nuclear technology being offered by AREVA and Japanese company Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, which the government has short-listed among three technologies under consideration for its first nuclear power plant.

The ambassador referred to the ATMEA 1, a 1,000-1,100 megawatt (MW) plant Generation III+ reactor, as a “competitive technology”.

She underlined the importance of ensuring the Kingdom has well-qualified staff ahead of major developments in the nuclear programme, adding that France is actively providing support and training in different areas.

The French embassy in Amman has organised seminars on nuclear power financing as well as nuclear safety and security with international experts and local officials in the capital, she pointed out.

France will also assist Jordan in establishing a centre of excellence as announced by French President Nicolas Sarkozy at the Conference on Access to Civil Nuclear Energy in Paris in March.

The facility will be the first centre of excellence in a global network France plans to establish with the Paris-based International Institute of Nuclear Energy at its epicentre.

Seven students from the University of Jordan, the Jordan University of Science and Technology and Balqaa Applied University have received scholarships to pursue master’s degrees in nuclear sciences at French colleges and institutes.

ATMEA1 was among three technologies short-listed by the Jordan Atomic Energy Commission (JAEC) last month, along with Canadian AECL’s Enhanced CANDU 6 reactor, and the AES-92 VVER-1000 reactor by Russian firm AtomStroyExport. The 1,000-1,150MW model reactor, which incorporates technology from AREVA’s Evolutionary Power Reactor and Mitsubishi’s Advanced Pressurised Water Reactor, has yet to be built or brought online anywhere in the world. Last month, Japan and Jordan agreed to a draft nuclear cooperation agreement, the approval and ratification of which is a prerequisite for Jordan to import the French-Japanese technology.

The JAEC and consultant Worley Parsons entered discussions with the three suppliers this month in what is expected to be a year-long process to select the final bidder.
The Kingdom’s first nuclear power plant is slated to be established 25 kilometres outside Aqaba and several kilometres inland.

Nuclear power has been singled out by officials as a means to wean the country off of energy imports, which constituted 96 per cent of energy consumed at a cost of 13 per cent of the gross domestic product in 2009.

14 July 2010

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All systems go for Jordan's first nuclear reactor

The signature of a $70 million loan agreement by South Korea and Jordan has signalled the official start of the project to build Jordan's first nuclear research reactor.

'The signal of Jordan entering the nuclear age' as Shin Bong-il and Jafar
Hassan agree funding for construction on the country's first research reactor
The so-called soft loan agreement was signed at a ceremony in the Jordanian capital by Jafar Hassan, Jordan's minister of planning and international cooperation, and Shin Bong-kil, South Korean ambassador to Jordan. The Jordan Atomic Energy Commission (JAEC) will provide the remainder of the $130 million funding for the project to build the Jordan Research and Training Reactor (JRTR).

According to Korea's Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, work is due to begin on the 5 MWt reactor in August 2010, with a 56-month construction schedule which should see the reactor completed by the end of March 2015. The reactor is to be built at the Jordan University for Science and Technology, 67 kilometres north of Amman. As well as being Jordan's first nuclear reactor, JRTR also represents an important first overseas order for South Korea's nuclear power industry.

JAEC chairman Khaled Toucan described the ceremony as "the signal of Jordan entering the nuclear age," and said the reactor would become the focal point for a national nuclear science and technology centre. As well as producing radioisotopes, the reactor will also provide training facilities for future generations of Jordanian nuclear scientists and engineers, and help the country to develop the infrastructure necessary to support its plans for nuclear energy. Looking further ahead, JAEC nuclear fuel cycle commissioner and JRTR project director Ned Xoubi said that the centre could in future expand to include a fuel fabrication plant, radioactive waste and cold neutron facilities.

Energy-poor Jordan is keen to set up a nuclear power program to help lessen its reliance on energy imports, which currently account for some 95% of its energy needs. JAEC's plans call for construction to begin on a 750-1100 MWe nuclear power plant in 2013, to be in operation by 2020. The JAEC set on Australian consultancy Worley Parsons to carry out the pre-construction phase of the project, and has whittled down seven offers from various reactor vendors to a shortlist of three: Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd's (AECL's) Enhanced Candu-6 pressurized heavy water reactor; AtomStroyExport's AES-92 model of its VVER-1000; and the Atmea-1 pressurized water reactor design proposed by a joint venture between Areva and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.

US agreement 'soon'


Jordan already has nuclear cooperation agreements in place with France, Spain, China, South Korea, Canada, Russia, the UK and Argentina. The USA looks likely to join that list in the near future. According to comments made by Hassan during the signing ceremony and noted in a ministerial statement, negotiations on a Jordan-USA cooperation agreement are under way and signature is expected within the next few months.

Researched and written

by World Nuclear News

http://www.world-nuclear-news.org/NN...r-2707107.html

[lealfonse]

Areva Agrees to Extract Uranium as Jordan Plans First Reactor

July 27 (Bloomberg) -- Areva SA, the world’s biggest maker of reactors, agreed to explore and extract uranium in Jordan as the country pursues its first nuclear power plant.

Jordan’s joint chief of staff and Areva director Thierry D’Arbonneau signed the uranium-development agreement today, according to Jordan’s state news agency.

Areva and partner Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd., among three finalists in May to bid for construction of Jordan’s reactor, proposed Atmeal1. The two other proposals were Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd.’s Candu 6 reactor and the AES-92 VVER- 1,000 model of Russian state-run ZAO Atomstroyexport, according to a May 12 statement by the Jordan Atomic Energy Commission.

The energy commission and Worley Parsons, Australia’s biggest engineering company, are in talks with the three suppliers to select a winner, according to the statement.

Jordan, much of which is covered by desert, relies almost entirely on energy imports. It signed nuclear-cooperation agreements to diversify its power supply and plans to build its first atomic plant by 2019.

--Editors: Mike Anderson, Jonas Bergman.

To contact the reporter on this story: Nayla Razzouk in Amman at nrazzouk2@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Stephen Voss in London at sev@bloomberg.net

http://www.businessweek.com/news/201...t-reactor.html

[lealfonse]

Kingdom, Japan nearing nuclear deal

By Taylor Luck

AMMAN - Jordan and Japan are set to sign a nuclear cooperation agreement (NCA) “very soon”, a senior government official said.

According to Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Jafar Hassan, the two sides are in close negotiations and expect to sign an NCA “within weeks”.

“We hope to sign an agreement with Japan in less than two months,” Hassan told The Jordan Times late Wednesday, highlighting the broad international support enjoyed by the Kingdom’s peaceful nuclear energy programme.

The deal paves the way for Japanese companies to sell nuclear technology to the Kingdom and encourages closer exchange of expertise in the field.

Japan currently generates one-third of its electricity from nuclear power, with 55 reactors producing over 49,000 megawatts (MW) of electricity.

Japanese firm Mitsubishi Heavy Industries is part of a joint consortium with AREVA ATMEA1 technology in the running to construct the Kingdom’s first nuclear power plant. The NCA is a prerequisite for their bid to move forward.

Japan and France have maintained that the consortium’s pressurised water reactor technology fits the Kingdom’s needs as it is less water intensive than other Generation III reactor models.

However, the 1,000-1,150MW model reactor, which incorporates technology from AREVA’s Evolutionary Power Reactor and Mitsubishi’s Advanced Pressurised Water Reactor, has yet to be built or brought online anywhere in the world.

ATMEA1 was among three technologies short-listed by the commission in May, along with Canadian AECL’s Enhanced CANDU 6 reactor, and the AES-92 VVER-1000 reactor by Russian firm AtomStroyExport.

Also in Wednesday’s interview, Hassan underlined that negotiations for an NCA with the US are “going in a very positive direction”, stressing that the Jordan will not forego its rights enshrined in international conventions in any cooperation deal.

“The US has been supportive and very understanding of our need to produce nuclear energy, and we hope to reach an agreement as soon as possible,” he said, adding that “frank and ongoing discussions” are currently focusing on technical aspects of the deal.

The Kingdom currently has nuclear cooperation agreements with eight countries including France, Spain, China, South Korea, Canada, Russia, the UK and Argentina.

The national nuclear programmeme calls for the establishment of a 1,000MW Generation III reactor on a site near Aqaba by the end of the decade, with plans in place for three additional plants to transform Jordan from an energy importer to an exporter.

27 August 2010
http://www.jordantimes.com/?news=29567

[lealfonse]

‘Kingdom’s electricity situation stable’

By Taylor Luck

AMMAN - The electricity situation in the Kingdom is “stable” and the effects of slight systematic power cuts have been minimal, energy officials stressed on Sunday.

At a press meeting to address power cuts witnessed during a heatwave earlier this month, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Khalid Irani underlined that energy officials coped well with an “unprecedented” electricity demand without disrupting citizens’ daily lives.

Going off the average electricity demand growth rate of 7 per cent between 2000-2008, energy officials had originally anticipated the maximum load to stand at 2,460 megawatts (MW) this year.

Due to the heatwave that affected the Kingdom earlier this month, bringing temperatures several degrees above their annual average, however, the maximum load reached 2,650MW.

To make matters worse, when temperatures in the Kingdom go above 38ûC, the Kingdom’s generation capacity diminishes “considerably”, dropping from 2,600MW to 2,300MW, National Electric Power Company (NEPCO) Director Ghaleb Maabreh told reporters.

In order to cope with demand at peak times, when demand surpassed both locally generated and imported electricity, systematic power cuts were carried out equally among the three national power companies in different areas across the Kingdom, the Electricity Regulatory Commission (ERC) Chief Commissioner Suleiman Hafez explained.

During yesterday’s press conference, officials defended the planned cuts, which they said did not exceed one hour per area and saved up to hundreds of megawatts.

According to Maabreh, the alternative would be costly power generation.

“Each megawatt of electricity costs the country JD1 million. We have to ask ourselves, is it really worth it?” Maabreh said.

Irani pointed out that electricity demand has jumped 15.2 per cent since the beginning of the year, up from a 3.1 per cent increases in 2009 and a 4.7 per cent rise in 2008. Such unpredictable peaks in demand make it difficult to project how much the national grid’s carrying capacity should be expanded, he explained.

“Nobody could have predicted a 15 per cent increase in demand, which was due mostly to all this hot weather. However, with all of that, Jordan coped,” Irani told The Jordan Times.

“Is it worth JD400 million for a two-day peak in the year? That is not something that caused chaos. There were unpleasant cuts, but nothing major and everything was handled well,” he added.

In terms of unplanned power cuts, on August 2, a technical malfunction to electrical transmitters led to a half-hour 10MW power cut in Abdali, while on August 21 technical malfunctions in Irbid caused a power outage of 90MW which lasted for 65 minutes. Later that day, cuts were witnessed in Karak of around 15MW for 37 minutes, according to the ministry and the ERC.

Irani stressed that the electricity sector is coordinating with water officials to ensure that disruptions do not affect water pumping stations, adding that areas that house key water facilities are “off limits” to planned power cuts.

In order to keep up with future demand, several projects are in the pipeline to increase the maximum capacity by over 500MW by the end of the year, the officials said.

Irani pointed out that the expansion of the Samra Power Plant, which entails the building of two gas-fire units, will add 280MW to the Kingdom’s grid by the end of the year.

The first combined cycle phase of the Qatraneh Power Plant, also expected to be completed by the end of 2010, will generate an additional 240MW.

Meanwhile, the second combined cycle phase of the power plant, being carried out by a consortium comprising Korea Electric Power and Saudi Arabia’s Zenel Company, is expected to generate 130MW and will be completed in August 2011, he added.

Future plans include adding 700MW through the establishment of various independent power plants between 2013-2014, according to the ministry.

Hafez stressed that the national grid is capable of taking on the new projects over the next few years, underlining that future developments will not impact electricity cost.

“We will have an increase in capacity and the cost will not be passed on to users,” the ERC chief told The Jordan Times on the sidelines of the press meeting.

30 August 2010

http://www.jordantimes.com/?news=29633

[lealfonse]

Talks continue over stalled wind power project

By Taylor Luck

AMMAN - Talks are ongoing between the government and a firm selected to carry out the country’s first wind power plant, according to a senior energy official.

The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources and Greek firm Terna Energy SA remain in negotiations over the construction of a 40 megawatt (MW) wind farm in Kamsheh near Jerash, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Khalid Irani said.

“Talks are ongoing with the selected bidder,” Irani told The Jordan Times in a recent phone interview, adding that if a deal is reached “soon”, the plant could be up and running by 2013.

The minister also highlighted the progress on the proposed wind power plant in Fujeij. The ministry is currently vetting 16 firms from Europe, North America, Asia and the Arab world to construct the plant, a 90MW wind farm near Shobak, some 200 kilometres south of the capital.

Irani ruled out the possibility that the two wind farms will be established within the same time frame.

Last year, the tender for the small-scale wind turbine farm in Kamsheh garnered the interest of two international companies, a Russian firm and Terna, with whom the government entered negotiations.

The main obstacles to concluding the agreement were the high tariffs and prices quoted for electricity included in the proposal, ministry officials previously told The Jordan Times. Officials have indicated that the prices were based on high oil prices due to the economic situation when the proposal was crafted in late 2008.

Authorities have given priority to wind power, known for its affordability and relatively quick construction time, as a key part of the Kingdom’s strategy for greater energy independence, expected to account for 1,600MW by the year 2020. The Renewable Energy Law, endorsed earlier this year, allows the ministry to negotiate with companies directly, and requires proposals for projects to state fixed electricity tariffs.

31 August 2010