Return to liquefied natural gas a ‘boost for country’s energy sector’

AMMAN – Jordan has returned to relying heavily on liquefied natural gas (LNG) for electricity production after more than four years of using expensive heavy fuel, according to Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Ibrahim Saif. 

The minister said that as of July this year, nearly 85 per cent of the Kingdom's power generation depended on natural gas, a step he said has reduced the national power bill and promises a brighter energy future for the country.

After incurring "huge" losses in past years following the halt of imports of natural gas from Egypt due to a series of explosions targeting the pipeline that used to supply the Kingdom, Saif said the energy bill used to constitute 20 per cent of the gross domestic product. 

Speaking on the sidelines of a press conference held to announce the Energise Jordan 2015 forum, the official described that the return to relying on LNG as a success story for the Kingdom's energy sector.

By 2014, over 80 per cent of the government’s borrowing was used to cover the state-owned National Electric Power Company's losses caused by disruption of gas supplies. 

In a bid to diversify energy resources, the Kingdom recently opened an LNG terminal in Aqaba and received its first shipment from international energy giant Shell in July. 

Saif said he expects a better energy future in the medium term but noted that there are still some legislative obstacles that need to be solved to boost the utilisation of renewable energy.