Siemens Gamesa wins contract to develop 250MW wind power project in Egypt
Firm has an installed base of over 3.1GW across several countries in Africa
Renewable power generation company Lekela has awarded Siemens Gamesa an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract for a 250MW wind project in the West Bakr region of Egypt.
The West Bakr Wind project is located 30km north-west of Ras el Ghareb, in the Gulf of Suez. It is expected to produce over 1,000GWh per year and will power an estimated 350,000 homes, reducing approximately 550,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually.
As per the terms of the deal, Siemens Gamesa will install 96 SG 2.6-114 turbines, the firm will also provide long-term maintenance through a 15-year service agreement. The first wind turbines will be delivered in mid-2020 and the project is set to begin commercial operations in 2021.
The Power Purchase Agreement and Network Connection Contract was signed by Lekela with the Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company and the New and Renewable Energy Company Authority earlier this year, Siemens Gamesa said.
“We are proud to have been selected to contribute to the ambitious goals in renewable energy the Government has set for the coming years. Our aim is to support the government to deliver long term and lasting impact for our communities, environmentally, economically and socially,” said SGRE Onshore CEO Alfonso Faubel.
According to the statement, all civil and most of the electrical and logistical work will be handled by local subcontractors, and the majority of the wind turbine towers will be produced in Egypt. It is estimated that 70% of the project’s construction scope will be delivered by local subcontractors, which is expected to boost the local economy.
Once complete, the project will increase the country’s installed wind energy capacity by 18%, up to 1,650MW. It is said to be part of the Egyptian government’s Build, Own, Operate (BOO) framework and takes the country closer to diversifying its energy mix, with the target of reaching 20% of the electricity coming from renewable sources by 2022, the statement noted.
Lekela CEO Chris Antonopoulos added, “We have enjoyed working closely with Siemens Gamesa on Lekela’s first project in Egypt. We are proud to play a part in diversifying Egypt’s generation capacity by delivering best-in-class clean energy projects. As a long-term operator, we are focused on delivering lasting impact, which is why we focus on creating generation spanning benefits for local communities.”
