- ACWA Power has requested to delay the completion of the Kom Ombo Solar Project.
- The company has cited rising solar cells and transport costs as the reason.
- The plant is expected to sell power at the lowest ever tariffs in Egypt when completed.
The state-owned Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company (EETC) have agreed to postpone the commissioning of the Kom Ombo solar project. The request made by project developer ACWA Power was due to the increased prices of solar cells and the high freight costs. The EETC has agreed to delay the project for nine months to allow transport and solar cells to reduce.
According to reports, EPC, Sterling & Wilson have already left the project site with their return subject to a new date set by ACWA Power. The project is expected to cost $200 million and is funded by ACWA Power and several international financiers. Under the PPA signed with EETC, ACWA Power will sell the power from the plant at a rate of 2.48 cents/kWh, the lowest clean energy tariff price Contracted by the EETC.
The 200MW solar project is expected to deploy bifacial solar PV panels to improve solar efficiency and increase cell performance during the winter. When completed, the plant is expected to generate electricity to power about 130,000 households and reduce carbon emissions by 280,000 tons annually.
ACWA Power has previously completed the development of 3 solar power plants in Benban, Aswan Governorate, and is bidding on a series of solar power tenders in the country.