Egypt signed a loan agreement on Monday with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) to convert electricity generation stations of al-Shabab and Damietta West to a combined cycle, allowing the total electricity capacity to reach 2,250 megawatts.
Electricity Minister Ismail Shaker said the two projects are composed of two gas turbines to generate electricity at al-Shabab station and one gas turbine for Damietta West station with capacity of 250 megawatts for each.
The turbines work on an energy recovery boiler, capitalizing on the exhaust heat resulting from the combined cycle gas turbines. The two stations will be linked together through the national electric network. The two projects will begin production during the first quarter of 2017.
The costs of converting the two projects reach US$900 million. In addition to the EBRD, other groups will contribute to the project, such as the European Investment Bank, the Saudi Fund for Development, the Islamic Development Bank and sources of the East Delta Electricity Production Company.
Al-Shabab electricity generation station is composed of eight gas units, with capacity of 125 megawatts for each unit. Damietta West station is composed of four gas units with 125 megawatts for each unit.
