Egyptian Minister of Electricity and Energy Hassan Younis on Sunday announced Egypt has concluded its research on a power linkage project with Saudi Arabia. The project aims to exchange 3000 megawatts of electricity between the two countries. Younis, speaking during a meeting with the People's Assembly's Industry and Energy Committee, predicted the undertaking will be completed by 2013, adding that Saudi Arabia and Egypt claim 87 percent of electricity capacities in the Arab World. Saudi Arabia's highest electricity consumption is typically during morning hours, while Egypt's peak hours come in the evening. This suggests the project will prove successful, according to Younis, considering the power exported to the Saudis in the morning will return to Egypt by the evening. The US$1.5 billion project will rely on high-end technology--particularly an underwater link. The project will include a 1300km long aerial cable. Four hundred and fifty kilometers will extend across Egyptian territory and 850 kilometers across Saudi land. Twenty kilometers of the cable will be underwater.
