Al-Azraq Municipality / One of our achievements that we take pride in at the national level

The inauguration of the solar cell farm for clean electricity generation took place in the presence of Holly Benner, the Resident Regional Representative of the World Bank Group in Jordan, the project manager Eng. Tawfiq Al-Khawatra, and the Mayor of Al-Azraq Al-Jadeed, Yahya Zain Al-Din. The farm is expected to produce approximately half a megawatt of electricity, sufficient to power municipal buildings and illuminate streets and roads.

Project manager Eng. Al-Khawatra stated that the solar cell farm would provide Al-Azraq Al-Jadeed Municipality with about 55% of its monthly energy consumption needs. This amount may even exceed the municipality’s requirements if street, road, and municipal facility lighting is switched to LED bulbs.

He added that this farm is an environmentally and socially friendly developmental project, as it ensures the municipality’s ability to implement new projects, invests in youth potential, and serves the local community—especially low-income groups, people with disabilities, and women.

Eng. Al-Khawatra pointed out that the decision to establish the solar cell farm for electricity generation in Al-Azraq Al-Jadeed came after consultations with the local community, youth associations, persons with disabilities, and Syrian refugees. The local community, with a population of approximately 18,000 residents, demonstrated a clear need for this farm, considering that around 5,000 Syrian refugees reside within the municipality’s boundaries.

For her part, Holly Benner, the Resident Regional Representative of the World Bank Group in Jordan, expressed her appreciation for the efforts made by the Ministry of Local Administration through the Municipal Services and Social Adaptation Project in establishing this solar farm for clean electricity generation. She emphasized that the World Bank and donor countries have been keen to support various sectors in the Kingdom, including the municipal sector, to address different challenges—most notably, the impact of the Syrian refugee crisis on Jordan. Additionally, this support has helped mitigate the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, ultimately improving services for local communities, especially those hosting Syrian refugees.

In the same context, the Mayor of Al-Azraq Al-Jadeed, Yahya Zain Al-Din, stated that the solar cell farm, with a total cost of approximately $468,000, would save the municipality around 120,000 Jordanian dinars annually on its energy bill—an average of about 10,000 dinars per month. He noted that this solar farm was among the municipality’s most ambitious projects, following consultations with the local community.

He further highlighted that the annual savings on energy costs and other expenses would allow the municipality to expand public services and later invest in income-generating development projects. He expressed his aspiration to complete the second phase of the solar farm in the near future to fully cover the municipality’s electricity bill, which is estimated at around a quarter of a million dinars.

It is worth mentioning that Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Local Administration Tawfiq Krishan has emphasized the importance of prioritizing renewable energy during his visits to the 100 municipalities, encouraging them to generate electricity through solar power.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by Al-Azraq District Director Sami Al-Khalayleh, Urban Development Specialist at the World Bank Group in Jordan Lina Abdullah, Media Advisor and Spokesperson for the Ministry of Local Administration Mohammad Al-Malkawi, a representative of the Canadian Ambassador to Jordan, members of the Al-Azraq Al-Jadeed Municipal Council, and representatives of the local community.