Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy Mohamed Shaker told Daily News Egypt that the energy sector seeks to achieve a surplus of up to 25% in the coming period.
He added that the sector is working to promote investments to increase energy generated through building more power plants and diversifying energy resources, including solar, wind, coal, nuclear, and hydro power.
Shaker said the state was able to secure enough electricity for all consumers last year and has even reached a surplus in the current period.
“We are ready for the high demands of summer,” he said. “There will not be any blackouts this year.”
Shaker noted that the Ministry of Petroleum agreed to provide the sector with the fuel necessary to run all power plants until December.
In a different context, Shaker said that the ministry is currently preparing for the smart metres project, which aims to replace 20m metres with new smart ones and install 10m more over a period of 10 years.
“This will improve the capabilities of the grid and manage the demand,” he said, noting that the ministry has also installed 2m prepaid meters.
Shaker invited the private sector to take part in completing the program for locally manufacturing electricity equipments, noting that Egypt is now producing 100% of transmission and distribution equipment up to 220 KV, 42% of conventional power plant components, 50% of solar energy components, and 30% of wind farm equipments.
Egypt plans to manufacture 70% of wind farm equipment by 2020, according to Shaker.
Shaker added that the Unified Electricity Law promotes investment and separates the Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company and the Egyptian Electricity Holding Company, which will ensure transparency and impartiality to all producers and distributors of the public and private sector.
Shaker insisted that the ministry will provide electricity to all consumers for all uses, including household, commercial, and factories.
