Contracts of electricity linkage between Egypt, Saudi Arabia to be signed in May: source

CAIRO – 9 May 2020: A source at the Ministry of Electricity and Renewable Energy - who spoke to Egypt Today on condition of anonymity - revealed that electricity linkage contracts will be signed by Egypt and Saudi Arabia by the end of May to exchange 3,000 megawatts.

The source added that execution works will begin immediately in June, and that the Saudi side will determine the pathway of the linkage line as the project will be part of the planned cross-border city, Neom, located in the Tabuk Province of northwestern Saudi Arabia.

The electricity linkage project consists of three phases. The first- which is in Egypt - includes two AC-DC transmission plants having a capacity of 500 kilovolts at Badr City, and the control room of the linkage between the overhead power lines and the marine cables at Nabq city.

The costs recovery duration is eight years. The ROI - when only exchanging electricity - is 13 percent, and 20 percent, when both generating and exchanging electricity. The linkage will enable Saudi Arabia of exporting surplus to Egypt in winter.

Spokesperson of the ministry Ayman Hamza announced in April that a delegation from the Egyptian Electricity Transmission Co. headed to Saudi Arabia to hold intensive meetings to finalize the contracts drafts.