Construction is progressing on the Iraq-Jordan electricity interconnection project as work advances on key transmission infrastructure in western Iraq ahead of commissioning, according to a report by Iraqi News Agency (INA).

Rutba District Commissioner Imad Mishal Al-Dulaimi told INA that work has begun on the installation of 63 transmission towers linking the 400-kilovolt (kV) Rutba substation to the Iraqi-Jordanian border along the international highway.

He added that construction of the Rutba substation has reached its final stages.

Once the transmission towers are completed, the interconnection will initially allow the transfer of 200 megawatts (MW) of electricity between the two countries, with capacity expected to increase to 500MW in a subsequent phase.

The project is expected to strengthen Iraq's national electricity grid while improving power supplies across western Anbar Governorate, including the districts of Al-Qaim, Rawa and Anah.

According to Al-Dulaimi, technical works are expected to be completed within the next two months, while the remaining administrative procedures between Iraq's Ministry of Electricity and the Jordanian authorities are being finalised ahead of commissioning.

The Jordan-Iraq electricity interconnection project was launched in October 2022. Jordan began supplying electricity to western Iraq in March 2024 following completion of the first phase, which involved a 132kV transmission line delivering an initial 40MW to Rutba and the surrounding area.

The second phase aims to upgrade the interconnection to 400kV and extend the same to Al-Qaim near the Syrian border.

On the Jordanian side, works had included the construction of a 2x400 MVA, 400/132/33kV substation at Risha and a 10-kilometre, 400kV overhead transmission line linking the substation to the Iraqi border.

(Writing by Majda Muhsen; Editing by Anoop Menon)

(anoop.menon@lseg.com)

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