Ministers of Electricity and Planning Discuss Joint Action Plan and Cooperation in Seawater Desalination Projects
Cairo – Nohaad Imam and Hanaa El-Sayed
Dr. Mahmoud Esmat, Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy, received Dr. Ahmed Rostom, Minister of Planning and Economic Development, at the ministry’s headquarters in the New Administrative Capital. A meeting was held in the presence of Dr. Hamad Mira, Chairman of the Nuclear Materials Authority; Dalia Mostafa, Acting Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Investment Bank; Engineer Nohaad Morsi, Assistant Minister of Planning for Infrastructure Affairs; Moataz Yakan, the Minister’s Advisor for Infrastructure Financing and Development; and Ahmed Saad, Chief Executive Officer of NA Consulting. The meeting focused on discussing the work plan, coordination, and integration within the framework of the state’s plan to exploit natural resources and raw materials, maximize returns from available assets, and leverage the infrastructure of power generation plants to establish seawater desalination plants, as well as to establish the necessary economic entities in cooperation with the private sector.
The two ministers reviewed the joint work plan and the coordination between the two ministries, including the follow-up on economic studies and preliminary feasibility studies for utilizing the infrastructure of power generation plants within the framework of the state’s sustainable development plan and the establishment of seawater desalination plants. They also discussed the impact of existing infrastructure on reducing final costs and operational expenses. The meeting addressed models of public-private partnership and mechanisms for securing the necessary financing. Several proposals submitted by various companies, along with the technologies employed, were presented. The meeting also discussed the establishment of economic entities to invest in the extraction and separation of salts and economic elements. It further addressed projects for extracting earth materials and recovering critical materials and rare elements associated with them, in coordination and integration with the relevant authorities. Ongoing projects in the electricity sector, the provision of concessional development financing and technical support, and the role of international partners in providing technical assistance and financing for these projects were also discussed. Additionally, efforts to develop the sector’s infrastructure and avenues for cooperation with NA Capital and NA Consulting were examined, in line with the state’s orientation toward enhancing public-private partnerships in the energy sector.
Dr. Mahmoud Esmat affirmed the continued efforts to maximize returns from available assets, particularly power generation plants located near the Red Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, and to leverage the plants’ infrastructure for seawater desalination. He added that the expansion of energy storage facilities aims to maximize returns from renewable energy sources and rely on them during peak hours to reduce the use of fossil fuels. He also highlighted the importance of earth materials and the extraction of rare elements and materials, outlining the state’s plan and work strategy to increase the economic returns and strategic importance of these resources. He noted the ongoing work to establish economic entities that will invest in the identified sectors, in cooperation, partnership, and coordination with the relevant state authorities, and emphasized the collaboration and coordination with the Ministry of Planning to secure the necessary support and required investments.
For his part, Dr. Ahmed Rostom, Minister of Planning and Economic Development, stressed that investment in infrastructure is the primary driver of sustainable economic growth and the cornerstone for developing all productive sectors.
He clarified that electricity, renewable, and clean energy projects are at the forefront of the state’s investment plan priorities, as they are a binding condition for attracting investments and localizing national industry.
The Minister of Planning and Economic Development highlighted the importance of the ongoing cooperation with NA Capital, NA Consulting, and the National Investment Bank to provide economic studies and preliminary feasibility studies, and to facilitate accessible financing structures in collaboration with international financial institutions and the private sector. This ensures the construction of a modern energy network capable of supporting urban and industrial expansion and facilitating the transition toward a greener and more resilient economy.
