Egypt amps up power link with Iraq via Jordan

Egypt amps up power link with Iraq via Jordan

CAIRO: Egypt is seeking to strengthen its electricity exchange with neighbors as part of plans to become a regional energy hub, a top official said. Egyptian Electricity and Renewable Energy Minister Mohammed Shaker said that electricity connection projects have an important role in enhancing energy security as well as increasing the use of renewable energy in the medium and long term. Shaker also confirmed that a study into an electrical interconnection project with Iraq was underway. He said that Egypt has power links with Jordan in the east, Libya in the west and Sudan in the south. Egypt plans to export electricity to Iraq as part of a strategy to transform itself into regional hub for exchanging energy via its power connection with Jordan. The Ministry of Electricity and Renewable Energy is considering raising the capacity of the electrical interconnection line with Jordan during the current year, with the aim of increasing power exports. The two countries have been linked since 1999 through a line with a capacity of 400 MW. Work is underway to investigate raising the capacity of electrical interconnection with the countries of the Mashriq and the Arab Maghreb, he said. A connection project with Saudi Arabia