Amman, Oct. 21 (Petra) — Attarat Power Company (APCO) has won two
awards at the 2026 Asian Power Awards in recognition of its
pioneering oil shale-fired power generation project, the first of its
kind in Jordan and the region.

The company received the Innovative Power Technology of the Year –
Jordan and Independent Power Producer of the Year – Jordan awards.

In a statement issued Wednesday, APCO said the project, which
integrates oil shale mining and electricity generation, represents
the largest private investment in Jordan’s history. Located in an
area rich in oil shale reserves, the facility extracts fuel from the
Attarat mine using open-pit mining techniques.

The power plant supplies baseload electricity to the National
Electric Power Company (NEPCO) under a long-term power purchase
agreement, meeting between 15% and 17% of Jordan’s total annual
electricity demand while maintaining an availability rate exceeding
99%, according to the company.

APCO said the project strengthens long-term energy security by
reducing dependence on imported fuels, lowering fuel import costs and
limiting foreign currency outflows.

Unlike conventional independent power producer models, the company
manages its entire fuel and water supply infrastructure, allowing
electricity to be supplied without additional arrangements for these
resources.

The plant and mine are expected to provide reliable electricity over
an operational lifespan of 30 to 40 years, while generating
substantial direct and indirect employment opportunities for
Jordanians annually and maintaining cooperation with local
businesses.

To address the technical challenges associated with oil shale,
particularly its low calorific value and high ash content, APCO has
introduced several technological solutions. These include controlled
fuel blending, chevron stacking and three-stage crushing to improve
fuel preparation and consistency.

The company also uses a distributed control system (DCS) to monitor
plant operations and combustion, alongside boiler soot blowers to
improve operational stability, reliability and efficiency.

APCO said it has reduced auxiliary power consumption below design
specifications and cut water consumption to half the amount initially
projected through a series of operational improvements.

The company has obtained several international certifications,
including ISO 9001 for quality management, ISO 14001 for
environmental management, ISO 45001 for occupational health and
safety, and ISO/IEC 17025 for laboratory competence.

The plant also employs engineering measures designed to meet
environmental requirements, including circulating fluidized bed
combustion technology, in-furnace desulfurization, hybrid particulate
control systems, zero wastewater discharge, and measures to prevent
spontaneous combustion of stockpiled oil shale.

The Asian Power Awards, organized by Asian Power magazine and often
described as the energy industry’s Oscars, recognize companies and
projects that introduce innovative solutions to address climate
change and meet growing energy demand. The awards also highlight
pioneering initiatives and technological developments across the
power sector.

//Petra// AJ