AMMAN — Natural gas supplies to the Kingdom have been disrupted due to ongoing regional developments, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Saleh Kharabsheh said on Sunday.

 

Kharabsheh said the escalation had led to the suspension of gas imports from Mediterranean fields, which are used for electricity generation, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

 

The government has since activated its emergency response plan, shifting to alternative sources to ensure continuity of supply, he said, noting that these include natural gas delivered through the floating storage and regasification unit, as well as diesel and heavy fuel oil.

 

The minister said that the switch from natural gas to diesel is costing the National Electric Power Company around JD1.8 million per day.

 

Despite the additional financial burden, the minister stressed that Jordan holds sufficient strategic reserves and confirmed there are no technical obstacles affecting the stability or continuity of energy supplies.

 

Also on Sunday, the National Electric Power Company (NEPCO) on Sunday said that it had activated its pre-approved emergency plan in light of the current regional tensions and the subsequent drop in natural gas supplies.

 

The company noted that the Kingdom’s fuel reserves for power generation are sufficient for at least 30 days, even if supplies from the Mediterranean fields remain suspended.

 

The emergency plan involves a temporary suspension of gas supplies to factories connected to the main network as a precaution, in line with the distribution priorities set out in the plan, with the measure to be reviewed once regional conditions improve and gas flows stabilise, the statement said.

 

NEPCO Director-General Sofian Bataineh stressed that the company is fully prepared to handle any short- or long-term emergencies, noting that sustainable alternatives have been activated following the temporary halt in gas supplies.

 

He added that the Kingdom’s power system is operating normally, with all technical and operational measures in place to ensure an uninterrupted electricity supply and maintain network stability under all circumstances.