Measures to Confront Current Electricity crisis

During the meeting of the Supreme Council of Energy which was held yesterday under Prime Minister Dr. Ahmed Nazif, the government discussed taking immediate measures to confront existing electricity crisis resulting from increased loads by 11 per cent as a result of the hot weather conditions which have been continuing for two months and which are expected to continue in the coming years.

Besides, the meeting reviewed the power cuts and the possibility of using new and renewable energy including solar energy in generating electricity.

In addition, the Minister of Electricity submitted a report on the difficulties faced by the electricity sector and their reasons; adding measures will continue to be used for easing loads until the current hot wave comes to end. He said additional 1000 megawatts would be provided for emergencies.

The meeting was attended by the Ministers of Defense, Finance, Petroleum, Economic Development, Trade and Industry, Housing, Transport, Foreign Minister and Minister Omar Suleiman.

Among the measures which will be taken soon are the inclusion of urgent additions of 550 megawatts within two weeks from Nubareya Station (375 megawatts) and the High Dam turbines (175 megawatts).

Dr. Magdy Radi, the Cabinet Spokesman said following the meeting that new 700 megawatts would be added in the coming summer together with 140 megawatts which will be generated from solar energy. He said this will bring aggregate additions to 2500 megawatts next summer.

The Cabinet Spokesman said the meeting discussed the reasons behind power cuts and the measures to be taken this year and the coming years to confront this problem.

Dr. Hassan Younis, the Minister of Electricity said temperature this summer has been always more than 40 degrees, adding this has increased loads by 11.3 per cent.

He said air condition sets are annually increasing by 500,000 to 750,000, adding nevertheless the ministry continues to satisfy the needs in peak hours (from 1700 to 2400 hours in Ramadan).

The Minister said loads will continued to be rationalized until the end of the current hot wave with maximum two hours in all governorates.

During the meeting, it was decided to establish solar energy station in Komombo with a capacity of 100 megawatts and total cots of $ 500 million.

Meantime, the government decided to carry out an integrated plan for enhancing lighting efficiency in the government buildings through a specialized unit which will be established at the cabinet for this purpose. He said a plan will also be applied for rationalizing power consumption in all the government buildings.

Moreover, Dr. Mohamed Awwad the Chairman of the Holding Company for Egypt’s Electricity said there is a plan for saving the power network including the establishment of eight generating stations costing $ 1.3 billion. He said these units will have a capacity of 1200 megawatts.

Addressing a press conference, he said intensive consumption factories capacity will not be increased; adding studies are currently being conducted for increasing existing generating units.

He added there is a deficit of L.E. 7 billion in the budget of the ministry of electricity, adding reports on profits made by the Ministry are baseless.

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