Today, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi met with Prime Minister, Dr. Mostafa Madbouly, and Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy, Eng. Mahmoud Ismat.
Spokesman for the Presidency Ambassador Mohamed El-Shennawy said that during the meeting the executive status of the second phase of projects aimed at strengthening the national electricity grid was reviewed. The Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy noted that the total number of these projects in the second phase amounts to approximately 105 projects. He offered an update on their progress and reviewed the status of connecting renewable energy projects, both solar and wind, to the national electricity grid by 2027.
President El-Sisi stressed the importance of improving the quality of electricity supply, enhancing the efficiency of conventional fuel utilization, and ensuring the stability of the national grid, while fully adhering to the established timetable for implementing and connecting the projects to the grid. These efforts support the state’s energy transition objectives and sustainable development goals.
The meeting also reviewed mechanisms for implementing solar energy and energy storage battery projects within the timeline set to increase the share of renewable energy in Egypt’s energy mix to 45 percent over the next two years. This is in addition to expanding the establishment of both grid-connected and standalone energy storage facilities. In this regard, Eng. Ismat reviewed the operation of the first phase of the Obelisk Solar Power Plant, with a capacity of 500 MW, and its associated grid-connected energy storage facility with a capacity of 200 MWh, both of which were connected to the national grid at the beginning of this year. The Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy also reviewed progress in the implementation of the plant’s second phase, with a capacity of 500 MW, which is scheduled to be connected to the grid in the coming weeks. These projects form part of the broader plan and timetable for integrating new solar and wind energy capacities during the current summer.
President El-Sisi underscored the necessity to sustain the monitoring and periodic review of renewable energy projects, whether in operation or under implementation. The President directed continued cooperation among all relevant state institutions and entities, as well as partnerships with local and foreign private sector companies responsible for project execution within the framework of the National Energy Strategy. President El-Sisi also emphasized the critical need for sustained momentum in the implementation of solar and wind energy projects and energy storage systems in local currency. The President further stressed the importance of expanding energy storage systems in order to maximize the returns of renewable energy resources and enhance grid stability.
The Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy further outlined the executive status of the Energy Valley project, one of the world’s largest integrated clean energy projects. The project features a solar photovoltaic (PV) generation capacity of 1.7 gigawatts alternating current (GWac), to be fully implemented in Minya Governorate, supported by battery energy storage systems with a total capacity of 4 GWh, geographically distributed across the governorates of Minya, Qena, and Alexandria.
President El-Sisi highlighted the significance of these projects in advancing the plans of the electricity and renewable energy sector to expand the use of renewable energy, reduce carbon emissions, and diversify energy sources. The President further stressed that localizing industries associated with renewable energy constitutes a fundamental pillar for strengthening energy security and advancing the green transition.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Presidency of the Arab Republic of Egypt.
