Biggest power generating station in Egypt opens

Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak yesterday inaugurated the first phase of the biggest power generating station in northern Cairo. The station has a capacity of 750 megawatts.

The second stage of the station will bring the total production capacity of the station to 1500 megawatts, equal to the power generated by the High Dam.

The President also inaugurated the greater Cairo regional control center and listened to an explanation by Dr. Hassan Younis, the Minister of Power and Energy on the potentials of the station and the plans of energy projects in Egypt.

Answering a question on linking Sinai electricity network to the national unified grid, the Minister said the cities of Sharm el Sheikh, Dahab, Nuweiba and Taba have already been linked to the unified grid.

The Minister said by the end of the next year, all Sinai cities will have been linked to the unified grid.

Answering another question by the President on the northern coast cities from Al Arish to Mersa Metrouh and Salloum, the Minister said all these cities have been linked to the unified grid referring to another project for linking the New Valley and Al Baharia Oasis to the unified grid.

The Minister of Electricity said investments of the sector of electricity in Egypt from 1981 until 2005 amounted to LE 68,5 bn of which the private sector contributed LE 4 billion.

He said these investments have provided electricity to 99% of Egypt's population and doubled per capita share of electricity seven times.

He said Egypt occupies the first place in wind energy in Africa and the Middle East.