Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly on Tuesday urged that the second phase of the Egypt-Saudi Arabia electricity interconnection project be completed so that both phases are ready for operation by April 2026. His comments came during a field visit to inspect the testing and trial operation phases of a giant converter station in Badr city, a key component of the project. Madbouly described the station, which operates at 500 kilovolts (kV) direct current, as "one of the important pillars" of the project and an "effective model of Arab integration in the energy field." The station is the first of its kind in the Middle East in terms of size and technology, the prime minister's office said in a statement. The overall project is of great importance as it will enhance the efficiency and stability of the two countries' electricity grids and allow them to take advantage of available generation capacity during peak load periods. Electricity Minister Mahmoud Essmat, who accompanied the prime minister, said the project aims to create an "energy bridge" between the two nations, linking the two largest electricity grids in the region and forming a nucleus for future interconnection between Africa, Asia, and Europe. The project will allow the two countries to efficiently and flexibly exchange electricity, paving the way for a common Arab electricity market, he added. During his tour, Madbouly visited various sections of the station, including the control and operation centre, and followed up on the tests being conducted on all equipment in preparation for the project's launch and connection to the unified grids in Egypt and Saudi Arabia before the end of this year. The 3,000-megawatt interconnection project consists of three large high-voltage converter stations—in eastern Medina and Tabuk in Saudi Arabia, and Badr city in Egypt. They are linked by approximately 1,350 km of overhead lines and other submarine cables. A consortium of three international companies is implementing the project. Following the inspection, Madbouly held a meeting with officials and representatives of the implementing companies. He praised the effort expended and urged the professional documentation of the giant project to showcase the scale of the work involved. In response to praise for the efficiency of the Egyptian workers on the project, the prime minister stressed the need to establish schools to teach technical skills for such projects, with the possibility of exporting labour to implement similar projects in other countries.
