Minister of Electricity, Mohamed Shaker, has told Daily News Egypt that power production, transmission, and distribution projects are on track despite the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
He explained that the electricity production sector has taken a wide array of precautions to curb coronavirus infections, with instructions circulated to all companies to abide by precautionary measures.
Shaker also said that the government is looking to achieve sustainable development and improve the living standards for citizens. This comes in addition to creating an investment climate that lures in private sector involvement in infrastructure projects.
With this involvement on board, industrial, tourism, mining, urban and agricultural developments would be encouraged at unprecedented rates.
Shaker pointed out that Egypt has, in the past, faced great challenges in providing energy to the local market. However, the recent political stability has allowed the electricity and renewable energy sectors to undertake the reforms and measures needed to ensure supply security and sustainability.
One of the most important outcomes of these government policies for the sector was the final elimination of the frequent power outage crisis. Over 28GW was added to the country’s electricity network in 2019, with available electrical generation capabilities sufficient to meet the requirements of investors throughout the country.
Shaker added that electricity transmission and distribution networks are being strengthened and developed to accommodate the large capacities from new and renewable sources. Many high and ultra-high voltage transmission and transformer projects have also recently been implemented to increase the country’s capacity.
