The Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company (EETC) is launching a legal tender on the Arab and international companies to implement the lines and transformers substation for the electricity interconnection project with Sudan within days. Sources told Daily News Egypt that 10 companies will be invited to participate in the legal tender and submit their bids, including ABB, General Electric, Siemens, State Grid, Schneider Electric, and El-Sewedy. The sources pointed out that the Technical Committee formed by the Ministry of Electricity has identified the planned capacity to be between 250 and 300 MW and the point of landing of cables in Egyptian territory in coordination with the armed forces. The sources revealed the continuation of negotiations with the banks to finance the Egyptian tranche in the project, with an estimated cost of $500m. The entities being negotiated with include the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), BNP Paribas and the African Development Bank and the Kuwait Fund for Economic Development. The sources pointed out that the political leadership played a major role in activating the electricity linkage project with the Sudan, which highlights the strength of relations between the two countries, and provide electric feed and sustainability. The sources added that the negotiations for the project started in 2013, but the low production of power plants and the interruptions witnessed by all regions in Egypt at the time suspended the negotiations. "The implementation of the electric connection with Sudan does not affect the similar project with Saudi Arabia, since the Ministry of Electricity has a reserve capacity and surplus of more than 15,000 MW," the source said. Mohamed Shaker, Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy, said that the increasing demand for electric power in many countries has become continuous, and there is a need to support existing networks and expand them to accommodate more exchanges to meet the requirements of development. He pointed out that the agreement on the implementation of the project of electric connection with Sudan within the plan of the Ministry of Electricity to be a resource for energy exchange with Arab, African and global countries. He pointed out that the tripartite electricity link with Sudan and Ethiopia has been delayed and preparations are being made for exchange with Sudan. There is a plan to increase reciprocal capabilities with Jordan and finalize the implementation of the link with Saudi Arabia in 2021.
