El Sisi inaugurates combined-cycle power plants, Gabal El Zeit wind farm: President Abdel Fattah El Sisi inaugurated yesterday the three 14.4 GW combined-cycle power plants in Burullus, Beni Suef and the new capital, which were developed by Siemens and our friends Orascom Construction (OC) and Elsewedy Electric. OC said in a press release yesterday (pdf) that the company “completed two out of the three mega power plants…with a total power generation capacity of 9.6 GW,” adding that work on the Burullus plant was exceptionally challenging given its remote location. Electricity Ministry spokesperson Ayman Hamza had said that the plants — which are expected to feed into Egypt’s planned regional power interconnection projects once they’re complete — would raise Egypt’s energy supply by c. 25% and ensure local power demand was covered.

The Electricity Ministry had reportedly settled on Siemens to run and manage the three plants, but the two sides have yet to sign official contracts. Sources had previously said that the EGP 6 bn, eight-year management contracts would be signed this month.

El Sisi also inaugurated the EGP 12 bn 580 MW Gabal El Zeit wind farm yesterday, according to the Associated Press. Hamza said the project is the largest of its kind in the world and “is part of a wider plan to make Egypt a regional energy hub.” Egypt has invested c. EGP 515 bn in electricity projects since 2014, Electricity Minister Mohamed Shaker also said yesterday.