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
