Aswan solar power project nears completion

• 7 years ago (2017-04-04)
• David Flin

Middle East 326 Solar 272

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The $3.5 billion 1.8 GW Aswan grid-connected solar power project, consisting of 41 solar power plants, located in Egypt’s southern governorate of Aswan, is on course for completion in 2018. The project was started in 2015.

The Benban solar development complex is built on 14.4 square miles that was dedicated to the state-run New and Renewable Energy Authority (NREA) by Egypt’s President Sisi in 2014. NREA divided the site into 41 separate plots and made them available to developers and companies to carry out individual projects.

The 41 projects on the Benban site will be connected to the Egyptian grid through four new stations that have already been established by the Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company. These substations will be connected to an existing 220 kV line that passes within 7.5 miles of the site.

Mohamed el-Husseini, Head of the Investment Unit in Aswan governorate, and one of the project supervisors, said: “With the completion of this project, Aswan will become the country’s solar energy capital, and will constitute a new energy basket in the Middle East.” He added that the project is expected to be one of the largest solar generation facilities in the world. He said: “The Benban project will transform the country’s energy sector, fulfil energy self-sufficiency, and solve Egypt’s power crunch for good.”

A total of 39 local and international developers were selected by the Egyptian government to start solar power plants in the area.