Egypt eyes plans to become regional energy hub

Egypt is moving ahead with its strategy to become a global energy hub through a number of power linkage projects.

The plan is to turn this country into a global energy hub for Africa, Europe and the Arab Gulf. Studies are underway into linkage with African states relying on their hydropower potential for the linkage between north and south Mediterranean.

Also, studies are being conducted into links with Arab countries, notably Libya, to increase output from 150 megawatts to 2,000 megawatts.
According to the electricity ministry, output was raised from 100 megawatts to 150 in January at the request of the Libyan side. Line capacity has been increased from 220 kilovolts to 500.
Similarly, feasibility studies are underway to raise output from 450 MW to 1100 MW for the link with Jordan.
Moving to Saudi Arabia, Egyptian-Saudi power linkage project started with concrete bases for transmission towers in Badr City east of Cairo. The interconnection is due to operate in 2026 to exchange 3,000 megawatts at peak times, which are six hours apart. The project will cost $1.8 billion.

Egypt and Sudan are linked by an 80 MW power grid, which, it is hopes, can be boosted to 300 MW in the medium term and 1,000 MW in the long term.

Regarding the Eastern Mediterranean region, Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy Mohamed Shaker earlier this year received Ambassador of Greece Νikolaos Papageorgiou to discuss developments in the power link project between the two countries.

These moves go in tandem with President Abdel Fattah El Sisi’s vision to activate government policy to consolidate Egypt’s role as an energy centre in the eastern Mediterranean as a gateway for linking Egypt with Europe.

The exchange of electrical energy will support hybrid energy, especially renewable energies.