The Egyptian Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy, Dr. Mahmoud Essmat, recently outlined the country's strategic vision for the energy sector at a seminar hosted by the National Press Authority. The seminar, titled "Electricity Sector: Achievements and Future Plans," aimed to showcase the ministry's efforts to transform Egypt into a regional energy hub and provide sustainable energy for future generations. The event was attended by several high-ranking officials, including the head of the National Press Authority, Eng. Abd al-Sadiq al-Shorbaji.
During the seminar, Dr. Essmat presented the ministry's comprehensive plan to develop the national electricity grid, which involves investments of around 4177 billion Egyptian pounds by 2040. The plan focuses on supporting power generation plants, expanding transmission lines, and enhancing the grid's overall capacity. The minister highlighted the importance of cooperation between the press and state institutions in showcasing Egypt's achievements and promoting transparency.
The strategic vision for the energy sector aims to increase the total installed capacity to 126.8 gigawatts by 2040. This will be achieved through a mix of power generation sources, including 49.0 gigawatts from thermal plants, 4.8 gigawatts from nuclear energy, 40.5 gigawatts from wind power, and 24.7 gigawatts from solar photovoltaic energy. Additionally, the plan includes 2.9 gigawatts from hydroelectric sources.
To ensure grid stability, the ministry plans to increase battery storage capacity to 2.3 gigawatts and pumped storage capacity to 2.4 gigawatts by 2040. This will enable the grid to accommodate a higher share of renewable energy sources, which is expected to reach 61.2% of the total installed capacity by 2040. In the medium term, the total installed capacity is expected to reach 96.9 gigawatts by 2030.
The minister also discussed the expected growth in electricity demand, which is projected to reach a peak load of 52200 megawatts by the 2030/2031 financial year. This represents a significant increase from the 28015 megawatts recorded in the 2014/2015 financial year. To meet this growing demand, the ministry is working to enhance power generation and transmission infrastructure.
Dr. Essmat also highlighted the significance of the El Dabaa nuclear power plant, which is expected to generate 37843 gigawatt-hours of electricity per year. The plant will also save over 7 billion cubic meters of natural gas annually. The minister emphasized the importance of cooperation with international partners to support Egypt's energy sector development.
The seminar was attended by several high-ranking officials, including the head of the National Press Authority, Eng. Abd al-Sadiq al-Shorbaji, and the chairman of the board of directors of the Middle East News Agency, Ahmed Kamal. The event provided a platform for discussing Egypt's energy sector strategy and the ministry's plans to promote sustainable energy and enhance grid stability.
Key points
- The Egyptian government aims to increase the share of renewable energy sources to 61.2% of the total installed capacity by 2040.
