Egyptian electricity sector projects being implemented in Africa exceed $3B

CAIRO – 30 September 2021: Egypt attaches great importance to strengthening cooperation in the field of electricity and energy with African countries, according to Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy, Mohamed Shaker.

Shaker explained that the total electricity projects being implemented in Africa exceed $3 billion, including the project to raise the capacity of the electrical interconnection line between Egypt and Sudan to 240 to 300 megawatts, at a cost of about LE 452 million.

"This is in addition to the consultancy work for approving the studies and designs for the project, at a cost of $289,000,” the minister added.

The Minister also pointed to the projects being implemented in Eritrea, including the project to establish a solar plant connected to the electric grid, at a cost of more than $2 million, as well as the project to establish a solar plant connected to the electric grid at a cost of about $8.4 million, and a project to establish a solar plant connected to the electric grid in Uganda at a cost of up to about $6 million.

He referred to the Egyptian consortium of the Arab and Swedish Contractors to implement the Nyerere Dam project in Tanzania to generate hydroelectric power with a capacity of 2,115 megawatts, with investments of $2.9 billion.

The minister added that the Egyptian-Sudanese dual circuit electrical interconnection project has been completed with investments amounting to LE 497.6 million, and the maximum electric capacity to be exported to the Sudanese side is about 84 megawatts.

He also mentioned that a workshop for the maintenance of transformers was established in Burundi with forms amounting to about LE 10.128 million, as the workshop was handed over to the Burundian Electricity Company and its full operation and training of Burundian technicians.

"Preparations are underway to implement several new projects, including the maintenance project for the two "Yambio-Rumbek" stations in South Sudan, at a cost of more than LE 70 million, in addition to operating and maintenance costs of about LE 15 million in the first year of the two stations, as well as a project to construct a 2 megawatt solar plant at a cost of $4.5 million, and the installation of diesel units and some electrical tasks at a cost of about LE 1.5 million in Somalia,” he added.

He referred to the construction of a 250-megawatt solar plant at a cost of $1.288 million, a 300-kilowatt solar plant at a cost of $1.498 million, and the supply and installation of 61 solar-powered submersible pumps for water wells at a cost of $1.372 million in Djibouti.

Shaker added that a number of projects are also being prepared for electrical interconnection and creating a market for electricity trade with African countries, including the electrical linkage project with the Democratic Republic of Congo (Inga - Aswan), and the continental electrical linkage project through a memorandum of understanding with the NEPAD Agency, which will be carried out on 3 phases, including electricity transmission and production projects.

The minister also referred to the electricity sector projects submitted to the infrastructure program in Africa, including the electrical interconnection project between Egypt and Libya, with a capacity of 1,000 megawatts, at a voltage of 500 kilovolts, in preparation for the completion of the electrical connection with North African countries, and a project to raise the capacity of the Egyptian-Sudanese electrical interconnection to transfer a capacity of no less than 2,000 megawatts using 500 kV DC transmission lines as a first phase of the Continental Electricity Interconnection Project along the Cairo-Cape Town Road.