The Egyptian Electricity Holding Company (EEHC) has settled on power plants that will be included in the 2022-2027 plan to produce 13,340 MW, with investments of $20bn.

EEHC had postponed many projects, as electricity production has been achieving a surplus. The company originally listed several projects in the 2017-2022 plan, but Siemens power plants achieved more production than expected and created sufficient surplus for that period.

Sources in the Ministry of Electricity said that the projects include a coal-fired plant in Oyun Musa with a capacity of 2,640 MW, as well as a combined-cycle station in Qena with a capacity of 1,300 MW.

The list of projects also includes a combined-cycle station in Luxor with a capacity of 2,250 MW, next to a coal-fired plant in Hamrawin with a capacity of 6,000 MW and another combined-cycle plant producing 1,150 MW.

The sources said that the coal-fired power plant will be implemented by the Emirati Al Nowais Company, adding that negotiations with the company are still underway to set a price for buying the electricity produced at that plant. According to the agreement with Al Nowais, the company will produce 1,320 MW in 2023/2024 and then add another 1,320 MW in 2024/2025.

The list of projects includes the inauguration of a power station in Qena operating through a combined-cycle scheme to produce 1,300 MW. Toyota Tsusho, the trading arm of Toyota, is set to implement this plant through an EBC + Finance system. The government and the Japanese company have been in talks on the project, which is expected to begin electricity output by 2027/2028.

The sources pointed out that the Ministry of Electricity has agreed with ACWA Power company to implement a combined-cycle power plant in Luxor with a capacity of 2,250 MW, which is considered a substitute for Dirout power plant that was cancelled. The ministry is also in discussions with the company to agree on the financial and legal terms of the contract.

The ministry has included the plant as part of its plans with an expected production capacity of 1,500 MW by 2022/2023 and another 750 MW by 2023/2024.

Moreover, the Hamrawin power plant will run on coal to produce 6,000 MW. Three global alliances are competing to implement the plant, which is included in the 2022-2027 plan.

The ministry aims to produce 2,000 MW in 2024/2025 and add 2,000 MW in 2025/2026, then add another 2,000 MW in 2026/2027.

Among the projects is the combined-cycle power plant that will be implemented by Benchmark in Qena to output 1,150 MW. Production is expected to begin in 2026/2027. Negotiations on the financial and legal aspects of the project are still underway.

The sources pointed out that the Ministry of Electricity is seeking, during the next two years, to strengthen the transmission and distribution networks to be able to absorb the added capabilities into the national electricity grid. Deciding on the projects in the 2022-2027 plan comes within the strategy to diversify sources of production and provide electricity to all citizens.

The Ministry of Electricity has not contracted on electricity production projects this year due to excess production, except for a wind power plant contracted by Toyota and Orascom.