Electricity industry started in Jordan in 1937 when Amman municipality approved exchanging lighting of the streets of the municipality of Amman from kerosene lamps by two hundred electrical lamps. They were provided by Amman Company (the late Mohammad Ali Bdeir & partners) according to an annually renewable license. The company rented an engine capacity of 70 horse-power from a mill so as to operate the mill during the day and light streets at night.
In 1939 The company developed and bought a plot of land at Ras Al-Ain area including the first power generating plant in Jordan. At that time, the company collected the small size generators available at the municipality by allowing their owners to be shareholders at the new company. The company imported other generators. Total capacity reached 400 horse-powers and the capital was 5,600 Palestinian pounds. The company developed its activities by lighting streets at night and continually providing consumers with power. Therefore, Amman electricity was the first Arab company in charge of generating and distributing electricity through Arab funds and skills.
In 1945 Jordan electricity partnership was established to replace Amman Electricity Company; capital of 100,000 Palestinian pounds to cover the increasing power demand.
In 1953 The company increased its generating power by installing and operating two engines capacity of 600 horse-powers to cope with the increasing power demand; generating power was nearly 6,000 horse-powers.
In 1958 Three new generating units were installed capacity of 1,225 kW per unit; total generating power was 8,000 kW approximately.
In 1962
Jordan Electricity Company was incorporated with central Jordan Electricity Company in one company under name of Jordan Electricity CO. Ltd. The company was granted a franchise for fifty years as of 1962. To cover the increasing power demand, the company constructed Marka Power Station.
In view of the increasing power demand necessary for economical and social development, due to low level of electricity systems at the south governorates and for the urgent need an integral and strong electrical system infrastructure to cover all the parts of the kingdom and provide with sufficient quantities and high quality power for the Jordanian clients, the government made a study in 1964 to develop the electricity industry in Jordan. The result of which was a seven-year plan (1964-1971) to develop the electricity sector; it included the following elements:
In 1967 To execute the above mentioned plan, the government founded Jordan electricity authority in accordance with electricity law no. 21 of 1967 its duties were confined to:
In 1996 In September 1996, JEA was converted to a public share-holding company wholly owned by the government called the National Electric Power Company (NEPCO).
In 1999 NEPCO had been restructured into three companies based on activity:
In 2001 Electricity Sector Regulatory Commission was established, and In 2007 Central Electricity Generation Company was privatized, and In 2009 IDECO and EDCO have been privatized.
The National Electric Power Company kept pace with the significant increase in demand for electric energy, as the generating capacity in the Kingdom reached about (4217) MW of conventional energy and (2633) MW of renewable energy at the end of 2022, compared to (3977) MW of conventional energy and (1579) MW of renewable energy at the end of 2021.
The peak load in the Kingdom reached (4010) MW during 2022 compared to (3770) MW during 2021, with a growth rate of about (6.37%).
The National Electric Power Company has made great efforts to meet the demand for electric power, by developing and implementing appropriate planning strategies and studies, in addition to carrying out all operational procedures and regular and annual preventive maintenance for all elements of the national transmission network, in order for the company to provide electricity to consumers with the best specifications and international standards from various available sources at the lowest possible cost, while maintaining the safety and security of the electrical system.
National Electric Power Company has implemented a number of electrical projects throughout the Kingdom with the aim of developing and strengthening the national transmission network. The main substations 400/132/33 kV and 132/33 kV and the 400 kV and 132 kV transmission lines required to connect new substations and generation stations with the electrical system were established and expanded. With the aim of developing the electric power industry sector in the Kingdom and managing the electrical system in the Kingdom effectively, efficiently and with the best international standards.
The capacity of the main substations in the Kingdom at the end of 2022 reached (14969) MVA, while the lengths of transmission lines 132 kV and 400 kV reached (5879) circuit.km.
