Gamesa has secured two new engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) orders for the construction of two wind farms in Egypt with a combined capacity of 160 MW. The wind farms will be located in the Gabbal El Zayt region, along the Red Sea coastline.
Egypt’s New & Renewable Energy Authority (NREA) awarded the first contract for the supply of a total of 120 MW after an international tender in which the leading original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) participated. It encompasses the supply, installation and commissioning of 60 G80-2.0 MW wind turbines at a new project, which is being funded by the Spanish government through its Fund for International Business Expansion. Delivery of the wind turbines is scheduled to begin in October, while the facility is slated for commissioning in the third quarter of 2017.
The second order is for the supply of another 20 G80-2.0 MW turbines with a total capacity of 40 MW in order to expand an already operational 200 MW wind farm. NREA also awarded Gamesa that contract by means of international public tender in 2011. These 20 new turbines will be delivered during the last quarter of this year for commissioning in early 2017.
According to Gamesa, its G80-2.0 MW turbines are the optimal model for the desert conditions, corrosive atmosphere and high temperatures typical of the Egyptian market.
In addition, because these are EPC contracts, the company will also handle construction of the civil engineering and electric infrastructure needed to install and operate these facilities and will handle their maintenance for the next three years.
Gamesa installed nearly 600 MW in Egypt since 2003 and services over 400 MW under operations and maintenance (O&M) agreements.
Besides Egypt, Gamesa is present in other African countries, including Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria, Mauritania, Mauritius and Kenya, in its capacity as turbine supplier and installer and wind farm O&M service provider. The company is the largest wind turbine OEM in Africa in terms of installed capacity, having installed almost 1,150 MW to date.
