Written by: Salma El-Sakka
Dr. Mahmoud Esmat, Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy, affirmed that there will be no return to electrical load shedding, pointing to the existence of operational scenarios ready to deal with geopolitical crises in the region, ensuring the stability and continuity of power supply for various uses.
Efforts to secure energy supplies and grid stability
This came during the Energy Journey session within the activities of the Egypt 2026 Forum, during which the Minister of Electricity reviewed the state's efforts to secure energy supplies, plans to face challenges related to fuel availability, and the measures taken to maintain the stability of the national electricity grid. He explained that the electricity sector possesses operational scenarios to deal with various conditions, pointing to the implementation of an urgent plan to face challenges that may affect the stability and sustainability of the power supply.
Cooperation with the petroleum sector and diversifying fuel sources
The minister noted that the ministry is working in coordination with the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources to equip electricity generation plants to operate with the available fuel mix, allowing greater operational flexibility, raising the efficiency of traditional fuel use, and reducing its consumption rates. He added that the ministry has changed the operating patterns of generation plants, with an increased reliance on renewable energies and the introduction of energy storage systems using batteries, alongside operating the most efficient thermal generation plants with the lowest fuel consumption.
Fuel consumption efficiency and economic savings
Esmat revealed the sector's success in reducing the fuel consumption rate used to produce a kilowatt-hour from 214.09 grams in 2014 to 174.57 grams currently, explaining that these measures contributed to saving more than 65 billion cubic meters of natural gas, with an economic value exceeding 38 billion dollars. He confirmed that the national electricity grid successfully accommodated high loads, after the peak load recorded 40.2 gigawatts during August 2026, an unprecedented level, while maintaining the stability of the power supply.
Developing subscriber services and abolishing practices
The Minister of Electricity announced the abolition of the practices system as the last form of arbitrary estimations for consumption bills, along with unifying the valuation mechanism across all electricity companies, as part of developing the system of dealing with citizens and improving services provided to subscribers. These measures come within the framework of the Ministry of Electricity's plan to enhance the readiness of the national grid, secure power supply in light of regional variables, and ensure the continued supply of electricity to homes, industrial, and service sectors.
