By Ashraf Sadek: CAIRO, July 24, 2018 - President Abdel Fattah El Sisi Tuesday hailed the close co-operation between the Cairo Government and the Germen company, Siemens, when he inaugurated three giant power generating facilities in the New Administrative Capital, Beni Suef Governorate in Upper Egypt and Kafr el-Sheikh Governorate in Lower Egypt with a total capacity of 14,400MWh. The new stations represent a quantum leap for Egypt in the field of electricity. "The company has built and equipped the three plants according to a preset schedule and action plan," President Sisi said after honouring Mr Joe Kaeser, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Siemens, who attended the inauguration ceremony. Siemens has provided the turbines that will power the three new plants, which are the largest in the world. "We, the Egyptian state and people, are grateful to the German people and the Siemens company whose sincere efforts have helped meet our urgent needs (to upgrade the electricity sector). This is an unprecedented fulfillment of any international contract," President Sisi said as he greeted Mr Kaeser after inaugurating the three facilities via video conferencing. "I'm very pleased to note that Siemens has been so efficient and co-operative as to complete the projects per the set timetable and according to a specification of ambient temperature ranging from 15 oC to 45 oC, as Egypt is witnessing a severe weather change, President Sisi said. The increasingly close co-operation on electricity between the Cairo government and Siemens has been an intense experience for both sides, President Sisi said. He thanked the company for not taking advantage of Egypt's difficult conditions and dire need for electricity. "It would have been expected that Siemens would exploit our need and ask for higher prices when we were negotiating the deal to build the three plants as soon as possible. But, this did not happen," President Sisi said. He added that the German company had rendered a great service to Egypt (by completing these projects on time)." Addressing the people attending the ceremony, the Minister of Electricity, Dr Mohamed Shaker, said that the Sisi Administration had designed plans to ensure Egypt's future energy security, which is the cornerstone of national security and development. The government, Minister Shaker said, was keen on seeking co-operation with all entities and companies based on mutual benefit, through implementing joint projects in the electricity sector. He said that upgrading the electricity sector had been an important agenda item in Egypt's development plan, which was being achieved through the launching of multi-billion-dollar projects to build several power generating facilities nationwide, with financial and technical support from local and foreign companies. Minister Shaker pointed out that the sector was being comprehensively improved and upgraded, not least with the establishment of three new power plants. The plants, which President Sisi opened, were designed to boost Egypt's electricity generation by 50 per cent and create more than 30,000 jobs for the nation's youth. The three plants, which have become fully operational, will add 14.4 gigawatts to Egypt's national grid. President Sisi stressed the need to upgrade the electricity sector so as to meet the needs of the development plan. He said that the world-class, high-efficiency plants, which use the most advanced technologies, would have a significant operational productivity. Dr Shaker added that several new power transformers were being installed and existing plants were also being expanded. Dr Shaker also spoke about the Electricity Ministry's plan to improve the efficiency of the electricity transmission network by upgrading the high voltage cable lines. The minister pointed out that the plan would help improve the service provided to the public and ensure a stable electric current supply to consumers, especially in the governorates and remote areas. The new projects, costing 6 billion euro, include three stations that will produce 14,400 megawatts of electricity, Mohamed Erfan, the head of Egypt's Administrative Control Authority, said at the ceremony. Those projects "achieved an electricity production surplus of 25 percent, which will contribute to securing future electricity needs across the country in addition to exporting a portion of it", Erfan said. He said they would save the country $1 billion a year in fuel bills.
