By Akanimo Sampson
Siemens Energy has been awarded a contract by Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company and Sudanese Electricity Transmission Company to build grid stabilisation stations in Sudan which will stabilise the grid, and ensure a reliable flow of power from Egypt to Sudan.
The project will improve supply and enhance reliability of power across Sudan. Only around 60 percent of the population in Sudan has access to electricity presently.
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This contract will be the first grid stabilisation of scale to be carried out in Sudan and will utilize Siemens Energy’s Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) technology.
STATCOM regulates the transmission variations automatically according to the grid conditions. The solution will strengthen and stabilise the power grid by providing reactive power compensation and dynamic voltage support.
Vice President, Siemens Energy Transmission Solutions in the Middle East, Mahmoud Hanafy, says “this project will support growth, jobs and economic transformation.
“We are proud to contribute to this strategic project which is critical to accelerate energy transition and foster power trade in both countries. The project is also aligned with Siemens Energy’s commitment to accelerate energy access and security in a sustainable and economically sensible way.”
One of the two stations will be built in the capital of the state of Northern Sudan, Dongola. The second station will be built in the town of Merowe, about 330 kilometers north of Sudan’s capital Khartoum, where the Merowe High Dam is located. The Merowe High Dam is one of the largest hydropower projects in Africa.
Siemens Energy Egypt’s Managing Director, Emad Ghaly, says “this project will help Egypt export reliable power to its neighbour, bringing it closer towards its goal of becoming a regional power hub. We are proud to be part of this endeavor and to help Egypt achieve its goals in the region.”
The project which has already commenced is expected to be complete within two years.
Cross-border interconnection projects are set to shape the future of the power industry and transmission infrastructure. For example, HVDC and HVAC technologies contribute to secure and stable transmission of power across national grids that operate on different voltage and frequencies.
Thus, they enable power exchange between countries in order to to boost electricity, economic growth, promote sustainable power generation and reduce CO2 emissions.
In 2019, Siemens Energy has completed the energization of Toshka substation, which plays a strategic role in Egypt-Sudan Electric Interconnection project. Egypt has invested in maximizing the country’s power capacity.
Siemens Energy’s mega power plants enabled Egypt to boost its generation capacity by 40 percent in less than three years. Now the country is looking to export the surplus energy and become a regional energy hub.
