Electricity and Energy Minister Saad Mahmoud Balbaa said that his ministry had completed the preparation of a Request For Proposals (RFP) and other specifications concerning the establishment of Egypt's first nuclear power plant.
The pamphlet is ready to be presented to investors following President Mohamed Morsy's approval, and the ministry anticipates implementing the nuclear project in the new year.
The minister said in a statement quoted by Turkish news agency Anadolu that Egypt's nuclear program aims to establish four nuclear plants to generate electricity with a total capacities of 4000 MW by 2025. The first plant is planned to open in 2020.
Balbaa said that the electricity ministry has adopted a number of measures to encourage investment in the field of renewable energies, including the allocation of a total area of more than 7845 square kilometers, to establish wind energy projects in the Gulf of Suez and on the banks of the Nile.
On the current situation and the future planning of electricity in Egypt, the minister's report said that the number of subscribers in the electricity sector has reached 28 million, and per capita energy use has increased to 1910 KW per hour per year.
The minister said that the strategy of the electricity sector aims to increase the rate of renewable energy, including hydropower, to 20 percent of the total energy production generated by 2020.
Wind power generation capacity, stated the minister, has reached 550 MW in Zafarana on the Red Sea. New projects are planned through governmental agreements to increase their capacity to about 1340 MW, as well as 1470 MW of new capacities to be implemented through the private sector.
On solar energy, Balbaa said that the Council of Ministers approved the solar plan adding 3500 MW by the year 2027. The solar thermal power station of Kuraymat has been operating with the capacity of 140 MW, including 20 MW as solar component.
Another solar power station is currently being prepared to be established in Kom Ombo, Aswan, in southern Egypt, with the capacity of 100 MW.
