Electricity distribution companies across Egypt are set to complete their annual plan for the maintenance of cables and equipment in April 2018 at a cost of EGP 8bn.

El-Husseiny El-Far, a member of the electricity company’s distribution affairs department of the Electricity Ministry, said that the companies are carrying out a plan that includes the replacement of distribution panels, the improvement of mainline performance, the replacement of substations, the creation of new dispensers and new medium-voltage feeders, strengthening city and village networks, the maintenance of stalls, and the replacement and renovation of cables and wires.

He stressed the absence of any problems in the electric feed with the exception of emergency and limited maintenance of a number of distribution companies, including South Cairo Electricity Distribution Company, North Delta Electricity Distribution Company, and Beheira Co. For Electricity Distribution.

All allocations of electricity distribution companies increased after the liberalisation of the exchange rate, as prices of cables and equipment hiked by 200%.

El-Far said that the Egyptian Electricity Holding Company (EEHC) has obtained a loan from the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for ¥10.7bn to finance the automated control centres of the electricity distribution companies of Alexandria, North Delta, and North Cairo.

The company is examining offers submitted from seven international companies, including Siemens, General Electric, and ABB.

The functions of the automated control centres include the continuous monitoring of the medium voltage network, the addition and modification of any network-related data, the monitoring and storage of the operating data, the sequential recording of events and the giving of warnings when an increase in current or decrease in voltage is detected, next to analysing errors.

He explained that the Electricity Ministry aims to rehabilitate, develop and expand electric networks across the country within two years, according to the instructions of President Al-Sisi. The president had promised to offer all the funds necessary for the sector to provide an electricity service free of issues.