Egypt Grants Land to Norway’s Scatec for $5 Billion Wind Power Plant

Egypt’s Ministry of Electricity and Renwable Energy signed a USD 5 billion (EGP 154.5 billion) agreement with Norwegian renewable energy company Scatec to develop a five-gigawatt wind power plant, according to a social media press release published by the Egyptian Cabinet on 5 July.

The project, which I will be realised in Egypt’s West Sohag, aims to contribute to Egypt’s goal of increasing its renewable energy capacity by becoming one of the biggest wind stations in the world.

“It will contribute to the achievement of the goals of the Egyptian government with regard to doubling renewable energy contribution to its energy mix,” stated CEO of Scatec Terje Pilskog.

The Cabinet highlighted that Norway’s investment will play a crucial role in helping Egypt achieve its goal of having renewable energy account for 42 percent of its overall energy usage by 2030.

“The collaboration between the Egyptian government and private sector entities, such as Scatec, leverages international expertise in renewable energy, making significant strides towards sustainable economic growth,” reads the cabinet’s statement.

The wind power station project in West Sohag is expected to create around 8,000 job opportunities during the construction phase, providing a significant boost to employment in the region. An additional 300 permanent job opportunities will be available once the station is operational.

Egypt’s agreement with Scatec marks another milestone in its plans to boost its wind farm sector. The government recently penned agreements with Emirati-owned Masdar and Saudi-owned ACWA Power to develop two separate ten-gigawatt wind farms.

Currently, Egypt’s largest wind farm is the 545-megawatt facility in Zafarana located in the Red Sea Governorate.

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