Jordan’s energy system is shaped by a difficult starting point: the country has limited conventional oil and natural gas reserves, but it still needs reliable power for cities, transport, industry, water pumping, cooling, tourism and public services. That has made energy security one of Jordan’s most important national issues. The country imports most of the energy it uses, yet it has also become one of the more active renewable energy markets in the Middle East. Jordan’s energy story is not about one dominant resource. It is about how a country with few fossil fuel reserves tries to build a more secure, flexible and affordable energy system.
Jordan’s Energy System Is Built Around Import Risk
Jordan depends heavily on imported energy. That single fact explains much of the country’s energy policy. Unlike major regional producers such as Saudi Arabia, Iraq or Qatar, Jordan does not have large conventional oil or gas reserves to support its budget or protect it from price shocks. Imported crude oil, refined petroleum products, natural gas and electricity supply have all played roles in the country’s energy balance.
This import dependence has pushed Jordan to diversify. The country has used pipeline gas, liquefied natural gas, oil shale, solar power, wind power and regional electricity interconnections to reduce exposure to any one supplier or fuel. In electricity generation, natural gas still plays the largest role, but renewables and oil shale have become much more important. In 2024, natural gas supplied about 58 percent of Jordan’s electricity generation, while renewable energy supplied about 26.9 percent and oil shale supplied about 15 percent. [1]
That mix shows the country’s main energy direction. Jordan is not moving away from fossil fuels overnight. Instead, it is trying to reduce the risk of relying too heavily on imported oil and gas while keeping the grid stable.
Coal in Jordan: A Minor Fuel Beside Oil Shale and Imported Energy
Coal is not the central fuel in Jordan’s energy system. The country does not have a large coal-fired electricity sector like South Africa, China, India or Poland. Coal and coal products appear in Jordan’s broader energy balance, but coal is not the main story in national power generation. [2]
The more important solid fuel in Jordan is oil shale. Oil shale is different from coal, but it plays a similar role in one key way: it is a domestic resource that can be burned to generate electricity. Jordan has long been interested in oil shale because it offers a way to reduce energy imports. The Attarat oil shale power plant, located southeast of Amman, brought two 235 MW units into commercial operation in 2022 and 2023. The plant is capable of supplying about 15 percent of Jordan’s annual electricity demand. [3]
That makes oil shale politically and strategically important, even though it is not a clean fuel. Mining and burning oil shale is more complex than using conventional coal or gas. It has lower energy content, high ash levels and environmental challenges. Still, for Jordan, the value is clear: oil shale is one of the few domestic energy resources that can provide large-scale electricity without depending fully on imports.
Natural Gas in Jordan: The Main Fuel for Electricity
Natural gas is the backbone of Jordan’s electricity system. Gas-fired power plants provide flexible generation and help stabilize the grid as solar and wind grow. Jordan uses a mix of imported gas, liquefied natural gas, Egyptian gas, northern gas and limited domestic production, including Risha gas. [1]
Gas became especially important because it is cleaner than heavy fuel oil and easier to balance with renewables than coal or oil shale. It also gives power plants the ability to respond when electricity demand rises during hot weather, when air conditioning and water systems place pressure on the grid.
But natural gas also creates a security problem. If gas depends on external suppliers, pipelines, LNG cargoes or regional politics, then the electricity system is exposed to disruption. Jordan has experienced this problem before, especially when pipeline gas supply from Egypt became unreliable in earlier years. That is one reason the country has invested in LNG infrastructure at Aqaba on the Red Sea.
In 2024, Jordan awarded a contract for a permanent LNG regasification terminal at Aqaba with planned capacity of 720 million cubic feet per day, or about 5 million tonnes per year. [4] This kind of project matters because LNG gives Jordan more flexibility. It allows the country to buy gas from global markets rather than depending only on pipelines.
Oil in Jordan: Transport, Imports and Refining
Oil remains essential to Jordan even though it is not the main fuel for electricity generation. Petroleum products are central to transport, aviation, freight, construction, agriculture, household gas and industry. Cars, buses, trucks, taxis and logistics networks all depend heavily on oil products, which means oil prices affect household budgets and business costs.
Jordan imports crude oil and refined products because domestic oil production is very limited. This makes the country vulnerable to global price swings and regional supply issues. The role of oil is also linked to the country’s balance of payments: when global oil prices rise, Jordan spends more on imports.
The Jordan Petroleum Refinery Company and the Zarqa refinery are important parts of the country’s downstream energy system. Refining, storage and fuel distribution are strategic because Jordan cannot treat petroleum products as ordinary imports. Diesel, gasoline, jet fuel and liquefied petroleum gas are daily economic necessities.
Over time, electric vehicles, public transport, fuel efficiency and urban planning could reduce oil demand growth. But that transition will take time. For now, oil remains one of the most important fuels in Jordan’s economy because transport is difficult to electrify quickly.
Electricity Infrastructure in Jordan: NEPCO, Grid Pressure and Regional Links
Jordan’s electricity infrastructure is more advanced than many countries with similar resource limits, but it still faces pressure from demand growth, renewable integration and the cost of power purchases. The National Electric Power Company, or NEPCO, plays the central role in transmission and wholesale electricity purchasing. Its financial position matters because long-term power purchase agreements, fuel costs and grid investments all affect electricity prices.
The grid must handle several different types of power. Gas plants provide dispatchable generation. Solar power rises during the day. Wind generation varies by weather. Oil shale provides baseload supply. Imported or exported electricity depends on interconnection capacity and regional agreements.
Jordan has built important electricity links with neighbors. NEPCO lists interconnection projects with Egypt, Syria, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, the Gulf-Egyptian system and Iraq. The Egyptian-Jordanian connection is a 400 kV sea cable, while the planned Jordanian-Saudi interconnection is designed to reach 500 MW in its first stage and 1,000 MW in its second stage. [5]
These links matter because Jordan is not an island grid. Regional electricity trade can improve reliability, support emergency supply, reduce reserve needs and help manage renewable energy. In a future with more solar and wind, interconnections could become even more valuable.
Nuclear Energy in Jordan: Interest Without Commercial Reactors
Jordan does not currently operate commercial nuclear power reactors. However, nuclear energy has been part of the country’s long-term energy discussion for years. The reason is easy to understand: nuclear power could provide large amounts of low-carbon electricity while reducing dependence on imported fossil fuels.
Jordan previously considered a large nuclear power project with Russia’s Rosatom, but the plan was scrapped in 2018 because of financing concerns. The proposed two-reactor project would have supplied a major share of Jordan’s electricity, but the cost and debt burden were too high. After that, Jordan’s nuclear discussion shifted toward small modular reactors, or SMRs. [6]
SMRs are attractive on paper because Jordan has a relatively small power system compared with large industrial economies. A very large nuclear plant can be difficult for a smaller grid to absorb. Smaller reactors could, in theory, better match Jordan’s system size and provide electricity for both power and water needs, including desalination or water pumping.
Still, nuclear power faces major barriers in Jordan. Financing, regulation, safety capacity, public trust, water needs, technology risk and long construction timelines all matter. For now, nuclear energy in Jordan is more of a strategic option than an operating part of the energy mix.
Renewable Energy in Jordan: Solar and Wind Move From Side Story to Main Strategy
Renewable energy is one of Jordan’s strongest energy opportunities. The country has excellent solar resources, open desert land, and wind potential in several areas. Solar and wind are especially important because they use domestic resources instead of imported fuel.
Jordan moved early compared with many countries in the region. Renewable electricity grew from a very small base into a major part of the power mix. By 2024, renewables supplied about 26.9 percent of electricity generation, making them one of the country’s main sources of power. [1]
Solar power is the most natural fit for Jordan. The country has strong sunlight, especially in desert and semi-desert regions. Utility-scale solar parks, rooftop solar, distributed generation and commercial solar systems can all reduce daytime demand from gas-fired plants. Solar also fits Jordan’s need to reduce fuel imports.
Wind power is also important, though less dominant than solar. Wind projects can help diversify renewable generation because they do not always produce at the same time as solar. Together, solar and wind create a more balanced renewable portfolio.
The challenge is grid integration. When renewables grow quickly, the grid must be able to absorb variable output. That means Jordan needs transmission upgrades, better forecasting, storage, demand response and flexible backup generation. Renewable energy is no longer only a climate policy for Jordan. It is now a core energy security strategy.
Water, Geography and Energy Demand in Jordan
Jordan’s geography makes energy policy more difficult. The country is dry, water-stressed and heavily urbanized around Amman and other population centers. Energy and water are closely connected because water pumping, treatment and distribution require electricity. Any future desalination or large-scale water transfer system would add more energy demand.
Hot summers also shape electricity use. Cooling demand rises during high-temperature periods, which can increase peak load. This makes grid planning harder because the country must prepare not only for average annual demand but also for seasonal spikes.
Jordan’s location is both a challenge and an advantage. It lacks direct access to major fossil fuel reserves, but it sits between energy-producing and energy-consuming regions. The port of Aqaba gives Jordan access to LNG and petroleum imports. Cross-border electricity links give it a way to trade power with neighbors. Its desert geography gives it strong solar potential.
That combination explains why Jordan’s energy system is so infrastructure-focused. The country cannot solve its energy problem by drilling more oil or gas. It must solve it through ports, terminals, pipelines, transmission lines, power purchase agreements, storage and regional cooperation.
Energy Security in Jordan: More Than Fuel Supply
Energy security in Jordan means more than having enough fuel. It means protecting the country from price shocks, supplier disruption, regional conflict, grid instability and debt pressure in the electricity sector.
The country’s main vulnerability is structural import dependence. Government and energy sources have repeatedly described Jordan as relying on imports for most of its energy needs. [7] This means international markets and regional politics can quickly become domestic energy issues.
Jordan has responded with a layered strategy. LNG at Aqaba reduces dependence on one pipeline route. Renewables reduce fuel import needs. Oil shale provides a domestic source of baseload power. Regional interconnections allow electricity exchange. Gas plants provide flexible backup. Each piece reduces one kind of risk, but none solves the whole problem alone.
This is why Jordan’s energy transition cannot be judged only by emissions. For Jordan, cleaner energy and energy security often point in the same direction. Solar and wind are not only climate tools. They are also tools for reducing imported fuel exposure.
Energy Policy in Jordan: Affordability, Reliability and Reform
Jordan’s energy policy has to balance three priorities: keeping electricity reliable, keeping prices manageable and reducing dependence on imported fuel. That balance is difficult because each solution has trade-offs.
Gas-fired power is reliable and flexible, but it depends on imported supply. Renewables are domestic and increasingly competitive, but they require grid investment and backup systems. Oil shale improves domestic supply, but it brings environmental and cost concerns. Nuclear power could provide low-carbon baseload electricity, but financing and scale remain major barriers.
The government’s long-term energy strategy has focused on diversification, renewable growth, domestic resources and stronger infrastructure. The practical goal is not to replace every imported fuel immediately. It is to make the system less fragile.
Electricity pricing is also important. If power is too expensive, it hurts households and industry. If prices are held too low, utilities and public finances can come under pressure. That makes energy reform politically sensitive. Jordan must attract private investment into renewables, storage and infrastructure while protecting consumers from sudden price increases.
The Main Energy Challenges Facing Jordan
Jordan’s first challenge is import dependence. Even with more renewables and oil shale, the country still relies heavily on imported oil and gas. That keeps the economy exposed to global markets and regional supply conditions.
The second challenge is grid flexibility. Solar and wind are valuable, but they require a grid that can handle variable production. Without enough storage, transmission and flexible backup, renewable growth can create curtailment or reliability problems.
The third challenge is cost. Energy infrastructure is expensive, and Jordan must finance LNG terminals, transmission upgrades, renewable projects, power plants and possibly storage while managing public finances.
The fourth challenge is water. As Jordan faces water stress, energy demand for pumping, treatment and possible desalination could rise. This makes clean, affordable electricity even more important.
The fifth challenge is choosing the right domestic resources. Oil shale helps reduce import dependence, but it is not a low-carbon fuel. Nuclear power could reduce emissions, but it is expensive and complex. Renewables are strong, but they need grid support. Jordan’s energy future depends on managing these trade-offs rather than betting on one technology.
The Future of Energy in Jordan
Jordan’s energy future will likely be defined by three linked goals: more renewable power, stronger gas and LNG security, and a more flexible electricity grid. Solar and wind should continue to grow because they match Jordan’s geography and reduce fuel imports. Natural gas will remain important because it supports grid reliability. Oil shale will keep a strategic role because it provides domestic generation, even as environmental concerns remain.
The central question is whether Jordan can turn energy vulnerability into a more balanced system. The country does not have the fossil fuel wealth of many neighbors, but it has strong solar resources, a useful geographic position, growing technical experience and a clear reason to diversify. If Jordan can connect renewable energy, LNG access, regional power trade, storage and grid reform, it can build an energy system that is more secure, more flexible and better suited to long-term economic growth.
