Egypt PM examines with Scatec, Metito introducing desalination plants powered by renewable energy

CAIRO – 15 July 2021: Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouli held Wednesday a meeting with Scatec CEO Raymond Carlsen and the representatives of Metito as well as Orascom Construction to examine introducing desalination plants powered by renewable energy.

The meeting was also attended by the ministers of electricity and planning, deputy minister of housing for infrastructure, and the CEO of Egypt Sovereign Fund.

Scatec is already one of the investors in Benban Solar Park as the selection of foreign partners in projects accomplished in the public-private partnership (PPP) system, must be offering competitive prices, and transferring technology.

In August 2020, the government issued a statement saying that 19 desalination plants worth a total of LE11 billion and whose total daily production is 550,000 cubic meters would be inaugurated within 18 months.

Within 18 months, 19 desalination plants worth a total of LE11 billion and whose total daily production is 550,000 cubic meters will be inaugurated.    

Those will be built in Nabq, Ras Sidr, Abou Zanima, Dahab, Nuieba, Arish 1, Arish 2, Arish 3, Arish 4, Sheikh Zowayed 1, Sheikh Zowayed 2, Sidi Barani expansions, western Port Said, Dabaa, Marina 1, Marina 2, Marbella, and New Mansoura.  

The projects are constructed within a strategy to increase Egypt's water resources, and secure water for irrigation. The value of the strategy – launched in 2020 - is LE435 billion, and is scheduled to be accomplished by 2050.

Egypt is expected to have 65 desalination plants distributed among six governorates that are Matrouh, South Sinai, Suez, Ismailiyah, North Sinai, and the Red Sea. The total daily production of those is 750,000 cubic meters.

Matrouh is planned to house 14 plants having a daily capacity of 250,000 cubic meters, while the Red Sea is expected to have 18 plants with a capacity of 109,000 cubic meters per day. North Sinai and South Sinai will be home to 21 and nine plants whose capacity per day is 20,000 cubic meters and 75,000 cubic meters, respectively. Only one plant will be established in Ismailiyah, and two others in Suez.

The government is partnering up with the private sector to build four desalination plants in Matrouh's Hamam district, and three others in the Red Sea's towns of Safaga, al-Qusair, and Marsa Alam.

Deputy Minister of Housing, Utilities, and Urban Areas Sayed Ismail explained that LE135 billion are allocated to the construction of desalination plants, and LE300 are dedicated for wastewater projects. The plan will be completed over six phases. The duration of each is five years.