Nepco + Toyota partner to upgrade Jordan’s electricity grid: Jordan's National Electric Power Company (Nepco) and Japan's Toyota Tsusho Corporation have signed an agreement to improve the quality and efficiency of Jordan’s electrical system to accommodate smart grids and an influx of renewables, according to a statement. Under the agreement, the electromechanical and static protection relays in some of the main transformer stations in the grid will be replaced. The project will be funded with a USD 6.5 mn grant from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

What we know: The project will replace the existing electrical protection systems with high-performance digital protection relays at the 400/132 kV South Amman transformer station and the Aqaba substation 400/132 kV. Replacements for the distance protection relays on the East Amman – South Amman lines with 400 kV will also be carried out and installations of differential protection relays in both stations.

Why does this matter? Jordan aims to switch to smart grids on its national grid to be better equipped for the influx of renewable energy being added from renewables plants, the statement notes.

This has been in the works: JICA and Jordan’s government signed the agreement for a grant for the Project for Strengthening Capacity of Power System Operation last September. The project will be implemented over three years, including design and the bidding period, and aims to install a total of 223 digital protective relays at three substations. Japan’s government also extended a USD 100 mn Electricity Sector Reform and Resilience Enhancement Program loan (pdf) to help Jordan implement its Economic Modernisation Vision.

A long-standing Jica-Nepco partnership: Jica and Nepco are working on a capacity development project to rehabilitate Iraq's electricity sector. The initiative focuses on the rehabilitation of power infrastructure and the enhancement of institutional frameworks to boost service efficiency.

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