Egypt and Saudi Arabia are gearing up to initiate a $1.8 billion electrical interconnection project, with testing scheduled to commence next month and trial operation set for next year.
This project marks the first large-scale high-voltage direct current (HVDC) interconnection in the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region. It involves the connection of three substations through 1,350 kilometers of overhead power transmission lines and 22 kilometers of submarine cables.
A consortium consisting of Hitachi ABB Power Grids from Japan and Saudi Services for Electro Mechanic Works (SSEM) secured the contract in 2021 to establish three transformer stations in Saudi Arabia and Egypt.
The project will be implemented in two phases. The first phase, starting in June 2025, will have a capacity of 1,500 megawatts (MW). The second phase, also with a capacity of 1,500 MW, will commence in November of the same year.
To facilitate seamless connectivity, two high-voltage substations will be constructed in Saudi Arabia’s eastern regions of Medina and Tabuk, along with the “Badr” station located on the outskirts of Cairo, Egypt’s capital. These stations will be interconnected via an extensive network of overhead transmission lines spanning approximately 1,350 kilometers, supplemented by marine cables extending 22 kilometers across the Gulf of Aqaba.
Egypt’s current daily electricity generation stands at 58,000 MW, while daily consumption amounts to 33,000 MW. The country aims to leverage the electrical interconnection project to trade its surplus power.
