Saudi ACWA Power starts operations at Risha PV in Jordan

SACWA Power and the National Electric Power Company (NEPCO) in Jordan announced on Wednesday that the 50 MW Risha Solar PV Independent Power Plant (IPP) has commenced commercial operations as of Dec. 1, after completing all the required commissioning and start up tests.

The power purchase agreement for Risha PV was initially signed by ACWA Power and NEPCO in 2017, setting the lowest tariff for renewable energy in Jordan at the time — 0.042 JD ($0.059)/kWh. The Risha PV IPP was developed in line with the ambitions of the government of Jordan to attract investment and ensure a 20 percent contribution of renewable energy in the total energy mix of the country by 2020.

Amjad Rawashdeh, managing director of NEPCO, said: “This project is estimated to generate around 115 GWh per annum and will pave Jordan’s future path for economic growth. NEPCO is keen to uphold its commitment of deploying renewable energy projects while sustaining the reliability and stability of our electrical system, which is one of the finest in the region.

“Through utilizing existing infrastructure, NEPCO was able to reduce the overall costs of the project and increase its efficiency. Moreover, this project will benefit the adjacent local communities, by creating jobs, and contracting services from local companies. This project is one of the many investments made by ACWA Power in the Jordanian energy sector, and we are confident in the success of our partnership with them.”

Thamer Al-Sharhan, managing director of ACWA Power, said: “Jordan is a strategic stronghold market for ACWA Power, where we now have eight plants with over 1,600 MW power generation capacity ... We look forward to continuing our contribution into the socioeconomic development of the country and the welfare of its people through the Risha PV project that will be operational as per the specified time frame in the contractual agreement.”

“ACWA Power is proud to have been entrusted with the delivery of the Risha PV IPP based on our considerable international expertise in the solar power generation sector. Reaching COD within the specified time frame indicates our commitment to reliably delivering clean energy at affordable tariffs for Jordan and adds to our extensive portfolio of renewable energy projects across the region.”