ABB has secured a contract with Martifer Solar to supply 50 MW solar capacity in Jordan. The deal covers four solar plants, located near the cities of Ma’an and Mafraq. The solar PV plants will help Jordan reduce the volume of power imports.
Jordan imports 96% of all its energy at an annual cost of $3.6 billion or 13.5% of the country’s GDP. The Master Strategy of the Energy Sector in Jordan has set a target of 1,800 MW, or 10% of the country’s energy supply to come from renewable sources in 2020. This strategy calls for 600 MW of this new capacity to be provided by solar power.
Under the agreement, ABB will be responsible for the manufacture, supply, and commissioning of 45 central inverters (ULTRA), 24 36kV compartments on skid (MVCS), Plant Power Controller (PPC), and 36kV delivery stations, which will ensure safe and reliable connection to the national electricity network. In addition, ABB signed a service agreement to train Martifier Solar’s operations and maintenance (O&M) technicians on specialized O&M of its inverters.
ABB co-designed the plants using the company’s equipment as required by the grid operator (NEPCO) with a very complete solution. The project is scheduled for completion in the first quarter of 2016.
One of the four solar plants (Jordan Solar One) with its 20MW size will be the largest plant connected to NEPCO in the Al Mafraq area; the other three solar plants are 10 MW in size and will be located in Al Ward Al Joury, Al Zahrat Al Salam and Al Zanbaq, near the south-central Jordanian city of Ma’an.
