Prime Minister Jaafar Hassan laid the foundation stone on September 20 for a project to supply natural gas to Al-Rawda Industrial City in the Ma’an Development Area. According to Jordan’s Ministry of Investment, the JOD 10 million project is funded by an Abu Dhabi Fund for Development grant, part of a broader grant of nearly JOD 50 million for gas-supply projects serving industrial cities in several governorates.

The government estimates that natural gas could reduce energy costs for industrial establishments by 35% to 60%; this is a program-level estimate, not a measured saving at Al-Rawda. Work is under way at Al-Rawda and Al-Muwaqqar, while two additional projects in Mafraq and Zarqa remain at the study stage. The Al-Rawda project is expected to be completed within 18 months.