Egypt to Ink Joint Electricity Grid Deal with Saudi Arabia in May

Egypt is expected to sign a new contract with Saudi Arabia to set up a joint electricity grid on 30 May, the Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company (EETC) chairman Sabah Mashaly said, according to the Middle East News Agency (MENA).

Set to be the largest joint electricity grid in the Arab world, the new project will include overhead transmission lines between the two countries and an offshore power cable as well as power substations for transmitting about 3,000 megawatts (MW) between Egypt and Saudi Arabia, Mashaly added.

Egypt has become a regional power hub after moving from electricity deficit to a surplus of 40% at times, Mashaly noted.

It is noteworthy that in June 2013, Egypt and Saudi Arabia signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to consider the establishment of a joint electricity grid at a direct current of 500 kilovolt (KV) for which the two countries allocated SAR 6 billion (US$1.6 billion) to be completed between 24 and 36 months.

Egypt-Sudan joint electricity grid

Mashaly further revealed that the joint electricity grid between Egypt and Sudan has started its pilot operation with the aim of supplying the electricity-deficit country with the required power. Earlier, the Egyptian minister of electricity and renewable energy Mohamed Shaker said that the cost of the joint electricity grid reached EGP 509 million.

The two countries signed an agreement in April 2018, stating that Egypt will start exporting electricity capacity of 300 MW to Sudan. Moreover, Mashaly revealed that Egypt is considering a project proposed by a Cypriot investor for the establishment of a joint electricity grid with Europe through Cyprus.