Siemens Gamesa helps Egypt’s renewable energy capacity drive through construction of Lekela’s 250 MW West Bakr Wind project

Siemens Gamesa has pledged its further commitment to the growth of clean energy in Egypt through the construction of the 250 MW West Bakr Wind project which is owned by the renewable power generation company Lekela. Siemens Gamesa will install 96 SG 2.6-114 turbines through a turnkey EPC contract and will provide long term maintenance through a 15-year service agreement.

Alfonso Faubel, SGRE Onshore CEO, said: “We are proud to have been selected to contribute to the ambitious goals in renewable energy the Government has set for the coming years. Our aim is to support the government to deliver long term and lasting impact for our communities, environmentally, economically and socially”.

The first wind turbines will be delivered in mid-2020 and the project is set to be fully operational in 2021. The Power Purchase Agreement and Network Connection Contract was signed by Lekela with the Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company and the New and Renewable Energy Company Authority earlier this year. The West Bakr Wind project, situated 30 km north-west of Ras el Ghareb, in the Gulf of Suez, will produce over 1,000 GWh per year, powering over 350,000 homes and saving around 550,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions annually.

All civil and most electrical and logistical work will be handled by local subcontractors and the majority of the wind turbine towers will be produced in Egypt. In total, 70% of the project construction scope will be delivered by local subcontractors, which will also help bolster the local economy.

The project will increase the country’s installed wind energy capacity by 18%, up to 1,650 MW, and is part of the Egyptian government’s Build, Own, Operate (BOO) framework. This important project will result in Egypt taking one step closer to diversifying its energy mix with the target of reaching 20% of the electricity coming from renewable sources by 2022.

It will also invest in long-term strategies through Lekela’s Community Investment Plan which focuses on enterprise, education and environmental initiatives to redress the socio-economic development challenges faced by the local communities in the country. This includes a programme to ensure all wildlife is protected through the implementation of various mitigation options, including a shutdown on demand programme.

Chris Antonopoulos, CEO, Lekela commented: “We have enjoyed working closely with Siemens Gamesa on Lekela’s first project in Egypt. We are proud to play a part in diversifying Egypt’s generation capacity by delivering best-in-class clean energy projects. As a long-term operator, we are focused on delivering lasting impact, which is why we focus on creating generation spanning benefits for local communities.”

As Africa is slowly tapping into its wind power potential, sustainable and economic development is at the forefront of SGRE’s dedicated efforts to see Egypt’s energy mix diversify. West Bakr Wind will add on to the 8 projects totalling 1,243 MW SGRE has successfully completed in Egypt, ensuring sustainable development in the country.

Siemens Gamesa is market leader in Africa, with over 20 years of experience and more than 3.1 GW installed base in countries including Egypt, South Africa, Morocco or Tunisia. The company is driving Africa’s energy transition to deliver cleaner, more reliable, more affordable energy for millions of African people. This project is a further step in Siemens Gamesa’s commitment to being one of the main drivers of sustainable development. The Sustainable Development Goals reflect a new understanding that global development must integrate economic growth, social well-being and environmental protection. Siemens Gamesa is focused on driving this global process and contributing to attaining those goals.