The electrical interconnection project between Egypt and Saudi Arabia will be operational in May or June next year. This was announced by Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly. The first phase of the project includes a capacity of 1.500 megawatts, with the aim of reaching a total capacity of 3.000 megawatts

The total cost of implementing this 3,000 megawatt project is $1.8 billion.

The Islamic Development Bank, the Arab Fund and the Kuwait Fund are contributing to the financing of the project.

Last March, the Italian group Prysmian, specialized in the production of energy and telecommunications cables, began work to install the submarine cable, some 20 kilometers long, intended for this project.

The cost of installing the cable is estimated at 221 million euros, according to data published on the Italian company's website.

According to the Al Arabiya news channel, the project is now 35% complete.

The end of the second and final phase of the project, also with a capacity of 1,500 megawatts, is expected to be completed in November 2025. The project involves the construction of two high-voltage transformer stations in the east of the city of Medina and Tabuk in Saudi Arabia, in addition to the “Badr” station

Electrical interconnection makes it possible to manage the irregularity of supply and demand and to reduce the risk of large-scale blackouts by promoting energy trade between neighboring countries.

Egypt and Saudi Arabia benefit from a different seasonality of their energy peaks, paving the way for beneficial energy exchanges for both countries. A common will is emerging concerning the renewable nature of these exchanges between Egypt and Saudi Arabia, while green energies still represent only a small part of their energy mix despite strong ambitions in this area

This agreement will allow Riyadh to diversify and secure its renewable energy imports while reducing the carbon footprint of its mix and securing the energy supply of Neom, the flagship project of Crown Prince Mohammed Ben Salman.