Mahmoud Essmat, Egypt's Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy, presented the Ministry's action plan to a parliamentary committee overseeing the government's program. The plan prioritises improving service quality, ensuring a reliable and sustainable electricity supply, and reducing reliance on fossil fuels. Essmat outlined a strategy to diversify the energy mix by increasing renewable energy sources. This includes projects totalling 30,000 megawatts added in recent years, with private sector partnerships contributing 1,956 megawatts in renewable energy fields. The plan also emphasises energy efficiency through network development, promoting energy-saving appliances, and optimising power plant operations. The action plan aims to modernise the electricity grid by transforming it into a smart grid. This involves upgrades to transformer stations, power lines, and distribution networks. Additionally, the Ministry will address technical and non-technical losses within the grid and expand the use of coded metres to prevent electricity theft. Essmat emphasised the importance of customer satisfaction and highlighted initiatives like smart metre rollout and pre-paid metre implementation. The plan recognises the private sector as a key partner, particularly in renewable energy, and outlines measures to strengthen future collaboration. The presentation highlighted existing electricity interconnection projects with neighbouring countries like Libya, Jordan, and Sudan. It also mentioned ongoing projects with Saudi Arabia and potential future connections with Greece and Italy. Essmat concluded by reiterating the action plan's core objectives: improving service quality, ensuring grid stability and continuity, reducing fuel consumption, and minimising electricity losses. These priorities aim to create a more sustainable and reliable electricity sector for Egypt.
