The Egyptian Electricity Transmission Holding Co. (EETC) will complete the examination of offers submitted by seven companies to modernise the automation centres of three electricity distribution companies next month. According to a full-time member of distribution companies, Husseini Al-Far, the companies offering technical and financial offers include Siemens, General Electric, and ABB Group. He explained that the EETC and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) signed a ¥10.7bn loan to fund the automation projects for Alexandria, North Delta, and North Cairo electricity distribution companies. According to Al-Far, the functions of the automated control centres is the continuous monitoring of the medium voltage network, the addition and modification of any network data, the monitoring and storage of the operating data, the sequential recording of events, and the setting of alarms in case of surges or low voltage, in addition to the detection and analysis of faults. Al-Far explained that the sector's priorities are to implement the plan to develop and modernise the transmission and distribution networks and the control centres needed to absorb the added capabilities of new projects and to raise the level of service provided to the public with high efficiency. The Ministry of Electricity aims to rehabilitate, develop, and expand electrical networks at the level of the Republic within two years, in accordance with the directives of President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi, so that the electricity sector can continue to supply electricity without problems. Electricity distribution companies are implementing replacement and renewal plans, including the replacement of distribution panels, improvement of mainline performance, replacement of substations, establishment of new dispensers and new medium voltage feeders, strengthening of city and village networks, maintenance of kiosks, and replacement of cables and wires. He stressed the absence of any problems in the electricity feed except emergency and limited emergency maintenance of a number of distribution companies, including South Cairo, North Delta, and El Beheira. All allocations of electricity distribution companies increased across Egypt after the liberalisation of the exchange rate and the increase in the prices of cables and equipment by 200%. All electricity distribution companies in Egypt will end the annual plan for the maintenance of cables and equipment in April at a cost of EGP 8bn.
