President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi held a meeting on Sunday to discuss the development of Egypt's national electricity system and related funding mechanisms. The meeting was attended by Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy Mahmoud Essamat, Minister of Finance Ahmed Kouchouk, and Head of the Financial Affairs Authority of the Armed Forces General Ahmed El-Shazly. The Presidency spokesperson stated that the meeting focused on plans for enhancing the national electricity system, including the necessary investments for upgrading distribution networks and improving services for all citizens, particularly in Upper Egypt governorates. The meeting also discussed efforts to expand electricity generation projects, focusing on renewable energy sources. President Al-Sisi was briefed on initiatives aimed at storing renewable energy and using it to manage peak loads and stabilise the unified grid. The government's goal is to eliminate obstacles that previously led to load shedding. The meeting addressed the progress of the Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant project, including the implementation process, timeline, and achievements in engineering, technical, and administrative aspects. The project is seen as a key element in diversifying Egypt's electricity generation sources, aligned with Egypt's Vision 2030. The meeting also addressed the development of electrical infrastructure in new cities, including the installation of transformer stations and the extension of electricity lines and high-voltage cable tunnels. Moreover, The meeting also tackled electricity interconnection projects with neighbouring countries, assessing the preparedness of national infrastructure for this integration. The attendees discussed strategies for working with the private sector to leverage its administrative, technical, and technological expertise in order to improve service quality and performance rates. The Presidency spokesperson added that President Al-Sisi emphasised the need to continue improving electricity services for all purposes across the country. He also stressed the importance of enhancing the national grid's capacity to accommodate projected increases in electricity consumption due to population growth and ongoing development programmes. This will be achieved through the continuous modernization of power generation stations, transmission and distribution networks, and control centres, alongside the increased use of new and renewable energy sources. The meeting came after Prime Minister Madbouly declared last week that there would be no return to load shedding or power cuts. He also outlined a range of other government initiatives, including investment plans and development projects, aimed at securing a consistent energy supply for the nation. Madbouly explained that the government has secured over $2.5bn to ensure sufficient fuel supply for the summer, exceeding the initial allocation of $1.18bn. He outlined plans to increase the use of renewable energy sources, including 4 gigawatts of solar and wind energy next year, and allocated EGP 7bn to the Ministry of Electricity to enhance the distribution and transmission network to accommodate these new sources.
