Mubarak inaugurates Sidi Krir Power Station
Egypt, Economics, 9/13/2000

Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak inaugurated the giant Sidi Krir Power Station, with a 640 megawatt capacity.

Mubarak listened to an explanation from Minister of Electricity and Energy Ali El-Seidi on Sidi Krir Steam Power Station and then boarded the lift into the plant where he inspected its components.

"The Egyptian electric power network is now the largest in the Middle East and is not only covering all parts of the country but also extending to the East and the West of the Arab world," El-Seidi said.

The grid will likely stretch to Turkey by mid 2001 and then to Spain and Italy to be linked to all Europe," El- Seidi added.

"The plant is the first to be designed by Egyptian engineers and most of its components were manufactured by Egyptian companies," he said.

Over 98 percent of the Egyptian houses have been lighted by electricity," El- Seidi noted.

El-Seidi presented Mubarak with a small replica of the first Steam Power Station in Egypt, dating back to 1893.

The industrial sector's consumption of electricity in Egypt is estimated at 40 percent while the domestic is set at 35.7 percent of the total output. The remaining portion goes to the agricultural, trade and public utilities.

"The target production for the year 2005 is set at 19,000 megawatt expected to be increased by 2010 to 24,000 megawatt," according to El-Seidi.

"The output has nearly tripled from 4900 megawatt before the installation of Sidi Krir plant to 15150 megawatt now," he remarked.

"The station has cost LE 1336 million, and its construction by Egyptian manpower has saved LE 414 million," added El-Seidi.

Seidi said there is no problem in financing power stations as this sector has a good reputation, a matter indicating how strong Egypt's economy is.

"There is a full-fledged modernization of service rooms as well as the service quality for the low-income people who obtain full subsidy in power consumption," said El-Seidi.

Previous Stories:
  Deepwater oil operation puts Egypt on the map   (9/12/2000)
  Cairo to host European Investment Meeting   (9/12/2000)
  Egypt's economy promising and investment-attracting, Ebied asserts   (9/12/2000)

Please add a link on your webiste pointing to ArabicNews.com and bookmark ArabicNews.com & subscribe to our daily email news bulletin.

Search