Riyadh, Saudi Arabia — ACWA Power, a leading Saudi-listed company specializing in water desalination and renewable energy, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the New and Renewable Energy Authority (NREA) to secure land for a groundbreaking wind project in Egypt.
Under the MoU, approximately 3,000 square kilometers of land will be allocated outside the city of Sohag for the 10 GW wind project.
Once operational, the wind farm is expected to produce approximately 50,000 gigawatt-hours of clean energy annually, providing electricity to around 11 million households and significantly reducing carbon emissions by 25.5 million tons per year, ACWA Power said in a statement.
The agreement was signed between Dr. Mohamed El Khayat, Chairman of NREA, and Eng. Hassan Amin, Country Director – Egypt, ACWA Power.
The project is in line with Egypt’s Vision 2030 and the National Climate Strategy 2050, demonstrating the country’s commitment to renewable energy and sustainable economic growth.
The 10 GW wind power plant is projected to save the Egyptian economy approximately $6.5 billion in annual natural gas costs. Additionally, the project is expected to generate up to 120,000 job opportunities, with 45,000 jobs created during the construction phase and 75,000 jobs indirectly. Following completion, around 2,500 jobs will be created for the operation and maintenance of the wind farm.
ACWA Power has a strong presence in Egypt, with three other projects either operational, under construction, or in advanced development.
These include a 120 MW solar PV project in Benban, a 200 MW solar PV facility in Kom Ombo, and the 1.1 GW Suez Wind Energy project. ACWA Power has been actively contributing to Egypt’s renewable energy landscape since 2015.