The arab country is working in the efficiency of the national grid in order to be prepared to export electricity for the next decade
With more than 90 million population and a economy that will experiment an important growth, Egypt is preparing itself for the future of the national grid, specially to the possibility of becoming, in the next decade, a electricity exporter. This path is presently being addressed by the Government, that has done an important effort to repair the grid problems. As Mohamed Shaker, Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy of Egypt, argued, the country has “capabilities that could cover our electricity needs, and this year´s summer season is going to be excellent and without any power blackaouts”.
This statment opens a new path for the energy sector of Egypt that, until now has been focused on ensuring the national demand of electricity. Accordingly, the last repairs and investments in distribution networks, that will cost LE 37 billion, will take another two or three years to be finally completed, a moment when Egypt will be able to start with its exporting plans”. As Shaker commented ““is expected to start exporting energy by 2020 or 2021,”.
Energy demand in Egypt from 1971 to 2013 (last data available)
Jordan and Saudi Arabia, main markets
Egypt, geographically situated in a favourable situation near the Mediterranean sea, has a direct connection with the other arab countries of the area, specially with Lybia, EAU, Saudi Arabia or Jordan, traditional partners of the country. Nowadays, this connection is also translated in a linkage line project with Saudi Arabia, that will be the electricity exporting door by 2020, and a linkage grid with Jordan of 400-450 MW power.
These strategical capacities with Lybia and Jordan are also being increased, in addition to the 3 GW power linkage grid with Saudi Arabia.
