The giant project of connecting the electricity grid between Egypt and Libya will be inaugurated by President Hosni Mubarak and and his counterpart, Muammar Kadhafi after preparations at the project site have been made to receive the two leaders in the next few days, according to Al Ahram Arabic daily on Sunday.
The project is a new step for rapprochement, Arab unity and Arab common market particularly inlight of the fact that it will link the Arab Maghreb countries including Libya, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco with Egypt which is currently connected with Jordan and Syria on the eastern side of the Arab World, said the daily.
The Egyptian Minister of Electricity and Energy, Ali Saidi, confirmed the completion of this dual circuit, 220-volt project between Egypt and Libya, which stretches for 600 kilometers parallel to the northern Egyptian coast.
The line starts at Al Amid station in Egypt and stretches for 215 kilometers to the transforming station at the town of Marsa Matrooh, then it runs over 200 kilometers to Salloum station and cross the Libyan borders to the electricity generating station in the Libyan town of Tubrok with 165 kilometers in length on the Libyan land.
The minister indicated that the interconnectivity line between Assalam Egyptian station and Libyan Tubrok station would be computerized. It will facilitate the transfer of 180,000-kilowatt of electricity from the Libyan grid to the Egyptian grid and 175000-kilowatt the other way round.
“The interconnectivity between the two grids has been completed according to the state of the art international systems and technologies to provide solutions for the various defects resulting from this type of operation”, the minister added. He said that all aspects of connecting the two grids including the current deficiency, suitability of both grids, necessary specifications, and all the necessary measures to stabilize each grid in the event of any units’ breakdown have been calculated.
The minister added that the interconnectivity between the two countries have been under testing since May 1998 to exchange electricity in ordinary and emergency conditions stressing on the technical and economical advantages of the project. The project, according to the minister, will provide the investments necessary for constructing new electricity generation stations and facilitate the exchange of the technical and human know-how necessary for operating grids and stations and utilizing the excess energy at the peak periods.
The Egyptian minister indicated that Egypt is considered the connection point in this giant project which interconnects the grids of the Arab eastern and Maghreb countries. He said that a main control center would be set up in Cairo in preparation for establishing an Arab market for selling and purchasing energy in future.
The minister pointed out that the Arab Fund for Economic and Social development has provided the necessary funds for the project and also the necessary funds for raising the capacity of the interconnectivity line to Maghreb countries from 220 to 400 kilovolts.
The minister said that the Egyptian Construction Company has implemented the project using 100 percent locally manufactured equipment.
“The project will provide new job opportunities for maintenance and operation companies and will facilitate the establishment of joint companies between the Arab Maghreb countries,” he said -- Albawaba.com
