Lekela Power B.V. is competing is bidding for the construction of two solar and wind power plants in the west Nile region, with a total capacity of 450MW, CEO of Lekela Power B.V. in Egypt, Faisal Eissa, said.
He explained that the company will complete the project’s financial closure procedures before the end of September, and will name the contractors of the projects within a few months. Three companies have made their bids for the projects, including Siemens Gamesa, Vestas, and Senvion.
The total cost of the projects is $325m. The plant is set to operate commercially and sell energy to the Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company (EETC) by mid-2022.
On the other hand, Lekela Power B.V. has signed with the New and Renewable Energy Authority a usufruct contract to produce 250MW from wind farms under the build, own, and operate (BOO) scheme in the Gulf of Suez a few days ago.
Eissa said that the Gulf of Suez wind farm, which is currently being built by the company, contributes toward increasing the capacity of wind power stations in Egypt by 15%.
He added that the size of temporary employment in the project reaches 400 workers and technicians during the construction period, and the size of permanent employment will reach 40 workers and technicians after the operation.
Moreover, he stressed that the contracts signed with the EETC require achieving national participation rate in its projects by not less than 20%, whether in the form of local components or in local services.
It is expected that the Gulf of Suez wind farm will produce about 1bn kWh per year. It will also contribute toward reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 1.1m tonnes, as well as providing thousands of direct and indirect jobs during and after the project’s implementation.
These projects help in attracting foreign direct investment and increase the contribution of the private sector in electricity projects in Egypt, in addition to helping to stimulate economic growth along with reducing harmful emissions through clean energy.
They also create many direct and indirect employment opportunities, enhance the share of the local component in renewable energy equipment, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
It comes in the light of the political leadership’s interest in diversifying energy sources and to expand the use of clean energy technologies, recognising the ministry of electricity and renewable energy’s efforts to apply the sector’s ambitious plan of producing 20% of Egypt’s energy from renewable resources by 2022, and over 42% by 2035.
