They’ve finally said it: Gov’t wants to cut the rate it pays under feed-in tariff program’s second phase. Tax breaks and a 20% worldwide cut in the cost of solar power mean the government needs to pay less to producers under phase two of the feed-in tariff program, said New and Renewable Energy Authority (NREA) chief Mohamed El Sobky. Al Mal reports that El Sobky expects rates for wind projects will not come under review. El Sobky references an investor-driven proposal to reduce the FiT rates in phase two if the government gives up its insistence on domestic arbitration, but he insists there is no reason to turn to international arbitration as the producers and consumers of the power are all Egyptian. 21 companies in phase one have informed the ministry that they will be unable to financially close on their projects by the 26 October deadline as a result of the backlash over domestic arbitration, said El Sobky, adding that 10 investors will be able to close on their projects. The story acknowledges the exit from Egypt of Enel Green, and El Sobky was quoted in April as acknowledging the exit of Abdul Latif Jameel.