Egypt's Nuberiya Phase I Power Plant Commences Construction

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Researched by Industrialinfo.com (Industrial Information Resources, Incorporated. Egypt's Government-owned state utility Egyptian Electricity Holding Company (EEHC) located in Cairo, Egypt awarded a consulting contract to the local US Power Generation Engineering & Services Company (PGESCo) (Cairo, Egypt) for the construction of a fast-track phase I 750 megawatt natural gas-fired combined-cycle power plant to be built under a Build, Own, Operate & Transfer (BOOT) scheme. The power plant will be located on the western Nile delta near Alexandria in Eqypt's northern region.

The power project is part of the Egyptian Government's emergency power station construction program that is trying to deal with Egypt’s fast rate of growth in electricity demand. The project was given the go-ahead and commenced civil/site preparation in first quarter 2004 and expects to start the mechanical construction side of the project four months later in second quarter 2004 if the project goes according to plan.

The $350 million phase I 750 megawatt power project will consist of two 250 megawatt Mitsubishi (M501G) gas turbine/generators with heat recovery steam generators (HRSG's) driving two 125 megawatt (Siemens) Steam turbine/generators in a combined cycle configuration to supply 750 megawatts for the local grid. The power plant will feature Mitsubishi's latest advanced low NOx combustor system that allows a combined-cycle 58% efficiency heat rate-LHV. The gas turbines will also contain a two bearing support for the rotor, with the compressor and turbine portions joined by a center coupling, Axial flow exhaust structure, 3 staged air cooler and radial pins between discs to assure reliable tongue transmission. (PEC 83600093)

The civil/site work packages were awarded in fourth quarter 2003 amounting to $43 million to Consolidated Contractors International (CCC) (Athens, Greece) and the local Misr Sons Development (Hassan Allam & Sons) (Cairo, Egypt). The water and wastewater units have recently been awarded to Metito (Overseas) Ltd of the United Arab Emirates.

The Egyptian Electricity Holding Company (EEHC) was created in July 2000 and was granted the right to produce, transmit and distribute electric power throughout Egypt. The (EEHC) has thirteen affiliated companies, vertically integrated and responsible for both generation (five companies) and distribution of electrical energy (Eight companies). It has 17, 671 megawatt's of installed generation capacity and it employs a total staff of about 128, 000 employees.

The Power Generation Engineering & Services Company (PGESCo) is a joint stock company incorporated in Egypt on March 19, 1993, it is engaged principally in engineering, procurement, and project & construction management services for power generating stations. Company partners include the Ministry of Electricity & Energy of Egypt, Bechtel Corporation (40% Shareholder) of the USA and the Commercial International Bank of Egypt (CIB).