Sisi, Merkel to inaugurate first phase of Siemens power plants

CAIRO – 27 February 2017: The first phase of the Siemens power plants will be inaugurated by the end of the week by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Egyptian President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi,

Al-Borsa reported

today.

The first phase of the Siemens power plants, located in Beni Suef, Borollos and the New Administrative Capital, will add a generation capacity of 4,800 MW to the national grid, and is expected to be completed and connected to the grid by the end of October 2017,

according to Siemens

.

The inauguration comes as part of Merkel’s two-day visit to Egypt starting on Thursday. The chancellor is expected to meet Pope Tawadros II and Al-Azhar’s Grand Imam Ahmed al-Tayeb.

“Egypt is a big country and an important country in the Middle East peace process,” Merkel said in a

TV interview on Sunday

. She added Egypt needs economic stability as the population continues to grow.

"Germany will support Egypt in its economic reform program" Merkel said. She called Egypt "an example to follow” for how a Muslim-majority country can tend to the needs of its Christian minority who have complete freedom to practice their religious rituals and the government’s full support," she added.