Egypt Testing Solar Power Plant

- Amal Hasson
Tuesday, 03 May 2011

Global Arab Network - Experimental operation of Egypt’s solar-thermal power plant in Kuraimat, about 90 km south of Cairo, starts this week in preparation for getting it to work at full capacity by the end of 2011, the undersecretary of the ministry of electricity said Tuesday 26/4/2011.

The 2 billion EGP plant, the fourth of its kind in the world, is scheduled to generate 140 megawatts.

In order to face up to growing demand on electricity, the ministry plans to generate an additional 58,000 megawatts by 2027, he remarked.

The government plans to use clean energy resources to contribute by 20 percent to the country's generated power, he added.

Energy Cooperation

Egyptian Electricity and Energy Minister Dr. Hassan Younis said that a number of procedures have been taken for activating cooperation with the Nile Basin countries and maintaining joint interests that serve the development process in the basin member-states. These procedures include establishing joint companies in the field of producing, transforming and distributing electricity.

He confirmed that the power linking with the Nile Basin countries, utilizing renewable energies especially the solar energy, is one of the fruits of joint cooperation between the Nile Basin countries.

Power Network

Electricity and Energy Minister Dr. Hassan Younis confirmed that the power network in the north and south of Sinai is stable and that it is a part of the national grid, so it was not affected by an attack against a gas pipeline in Arish.

He also confirmed that all power plants are operating with high efficiency as they depend in their operation on natural gas as a main source, and diesel and fuel oil as a reserve source.

Source: Global Arab Network.
Link: http://www.english.globalarabnetwork.com/2011050310890/Energy/egypt-testing-solar-thermal-power-plant-fuelling-energy-sector.html.