Egypt unveils $500M solar plant to combat energy woes
On Saturday, a solar power plant valued at 500 million USD was inaugurated in Aswan, Egypt. The country's authorities announced that this is part of efforts to boost renewable energy production following last year's significant power outages.
The Abydos solar power plant, developed by the Dubai-based energy company AMEA Power, has a capacity of 500 megawatts and was completed in just 18 months. Al Arabiya reports that it is expected to generate 1,500 gigawatt-hours of clean energy annually, sufficient to power approximately 300,000 households while reducing CO2 emissions by 782,300 tonnes.
Egypt invests in solar energy: "New strategy"
During the power plant's opening ceremony, Egypt's Prime Minister, Moustafa Madbouly, emphasized that this project is a "key step in increasing the use of renewable energy in Egypt" and is part of the "national strategy aimed at reducing dependence on traditional energy sources."
He also added that this project supports the government's efforts to reduce summer power outages, which have become frequent during periods of high electricity demand.
The project is funded by various sources, including the Dutch Development Bank (FMO) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Power China is the main contractor.
Work on the power plant site began in March 2023. At the peak of construction, 3,500 people were working on-site. The power plant covers an area of 10 square kilometres and consists of over one million solar panels, 1,920 inverters, and 64 transformer stations. The two main transformers, the largest of their kind in Africa and the Middle East, have a capacity of 300 megawatts each and weigh approximately 255,000 kilograms.
Egypt at risk of blackout
Last summer, Egypt struggled with daily power outages lasting up to three hours, caused by high demand for cooling during heatwaves. AMEA Power Chairman Hussain Al Nowais noted that the plant will accelerate the implementation of Egypt's green energy strategy and help address the energy shortages experienced last year. Last week, the first electricity from the plant was delivered to the national power grid.
AMEA Power is a Dubai-based energy company specializing in renewable energy projects like solar and wind power plants. The company is committed to developing and operating energy projects worldwide and aims to increase clean and sustainable energy access.
