Siemens is set to begin the commercial operation of two units in the New Administrative Capital power plant with a capacity of 800 MW at the end of this month. Quality control manager at Orascom Construction Maged Kamal said that turbines number 41 and 42 have been undergoing trial operations to put out 800 MW. He explained that the turbines started with producing 100 MW each and rose gradually to reach 400 MW per turbine. He noted that three more turbines will come into service by the end of the year with a total capacity of 1,200 MW. Operation Engineer at the New Administrative Capital power plant Yehia Zakaria said that each unit is now putting out 130 MW, where capacity is increased gradually over 30 days before starting commercial operations. He explained that the plant achieved the highest efficiency and is working to restore energy through boilers that are employed to generate electricity. He noted that he underwent three months of training in Germany to be able to manage the plant in Egypt. The Egyptian Electricity Holding Company (EEHC) has signed a contract with Siemens to establish three combined-cycle power plants with a total capacity of 14,400 MW with investments of €6bn. President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi and German chancellor Angela Merkel have inaugurated the first phase of the project in Beni Suef, Borollos, and the New Administrative Capital. Siemens is implementing the three projects on an EBC+financing scheme, while EEHC will repay the loan over several years. The total value of the contract stands at €6bn, and KfW Development Bank, Deutsche Bank, and HSBC are financing the projects with €4.1bn. Arab banks are also providing the project's financing in Egyptian pounds to pay the dues of the Egyptian companies working in the project, including El Sewedy and Orascom.
