China’s Sinohydro has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Egypt’s Electricity & Energy Ministry to develop a 2,100MW dam storage project.

The Chinese firm signed the MoU with the ministry and Egypt Electricity Holding Company (EEHC) at the Egypt Economic Development Conference (EEDC) in Sharm el-Sheikh on 15 March.

Hydroelectric power has long been an important element in Egypt’s electricity mix. The Aswan high dam, built in the 1960s, has the capacity to generate 2,100MW, while two hydroelectric plants on the old Aswan dam, downstream from the high dam, provide a further 550MW in total.

The other two hydroelectric plants are at Esna (86MW) and Naga Hammadi (64MW). Construction work is under way on a new dam and hydroelectric plant at Asyut, which will generate 64MW from 2017.

Follow all the latest news from the Egypt Economic Development Conference