Egyptian Ministry of Electricity and Energy spokesman Aktham Abul Ela said SNC-Lavalin, a Canadian engineering and construction firm, has won a Egyptian-Saudi sponsored tender to implement an electricity linkage project.
Work on the US$1.5 billion project will start in 2011, said Abul Ela. Each country will bear the costs of project facilities installed on its soil, according to Abu Ela. The project, Abu Ela continued, will rely on high-end technology–particularly an underwater link. The project will include a 1300km long aerial cable. 450 kilometers will extend across Egyptian territory and 850 kilometers across Saudi land. Twenty kilometers of the cable will be underwater.
Egypt and Saudi Arabia will exchange 3000 megawatts of electricity during peak hours in a bid to offset power outages, according to the plans. Peak Saudi consumption takes place during daylight, while Egyptian peak hours are between eight and ten in the evening.
Earlier this month, the Ministry of Electricity invited tenders for the project.
Translated from the Arabic Edition.
