African Development Bank (AFDB) has pledged continuous support, through investment and development strategies in the energy sector, to meet the growing demand for electricity in Egypt.

The increased urban population recorded over the last decade in Egypt due to economic growth has led to a leap in the demand for electricity.

In addressing this challenge, the Egyptian government called on the AFDB to assist its generation investment plan – which will increase power generation capacity by 7 percent annually.    

Khalid Al-Askari, an official of the development bank’s energy section, who made the revelation to Asharq Al-Awsat, said the bank was one of the largest investors in Egypt’s power industry with over $1 billion invested in electricity projects.

“We have provided the energy sector in Egypt with $1.3 billion since 2009.” Al-Askari said, noting that there was a project concluded in 2012, which is the third phase in the hybrid solar Kuraymat Power Station, boasting a 750 megawatts capacity.

He revealed that the bank was currently working on projects such as Abu-Kir plant in Alexandria, the Ain Soukhneh plant and Suez plant–which is still under construction, supplying the Egyptian Grid an aggregate 3,250 megawatts, well above the country’s current shortfall of 2000-2500 megawatts.

The Northern African country suffers from electricity shortages, especially during the summer, due to the shortage in fuel supplies needed to operate the plants coupled with the increase in national energy consumption.

In combating this long standing problem wholesomely, the official added that the bank’s focus was not only on funding new projects, but was also contributing to ensure increased efficiency of current ones.

He said “there is a study we are conducting to increase the efficiency of old power plants” that will develop concrete strategies aimed at reducing fuel consumption at the plants and increasing generation output.

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