Scatec and Egypt Aluminium seal $650m deal

14 March 2025

Oslo-headquartered renewable energy developer and investor Scatec has signed a 25-year US dollar-denominated corporate power-purchase agreement (PPA) with Egypt Aluminium for a 1.1GW solar photovoltaic (PV) plus 100MW/200MWh battery energy storage system (bess) plant project in Egypt.

According to Scatec, the PPA is backed by a sovereign guarantee.

The estimated total capital expenditure for the solar PV plus bess project is about $650m, which will be funded by approximately 80% non-recourse project debt, and the remainder by equity from Scatec and partners.

Scatec owns 100% of the project, but is seeking to reduce its long-term economic interest by inviting additional equity partners, the firm said.

Scatec will be the designated engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) service provider, with an EPC share of approximately 90% of total capex. It will also act as asset manager and operations and maintenance service provider for the project.

It said the key next steps for the project are to work with the relevant authorities to allocate land, finalise grid connection and secure financing,

Scatec said it aims to reach financial close and start construction within the next 12 months.

Egypt Aluminium is the largest aluminium producer and industrial electricity consumer in Egypt and exports approximately 60% of its production to Europe.

The solar PV plus bess project will be instrumental for Egypt Aluminium’s ambition to decarbonise its aluminium production and to meet the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) requirements, which will be introduced in 2026, Scatec added.

The project was first announced in January last year, when Egypt’s Public Business Sector Ministry and Scatec were reported to be exploring the development of a solar power plant to supply clean energy for the operation of the Nagaa Hammadi aluminium complex in Egypt.

The “groundbreaking” project is the first utility-scale PPA with an industrial offtaker in Egypt, said Scatec CEO Terje Pilskog.

Growing projects pipeline

It is Scatec’s latest project in Egypt. In 2023, it withdrew from two solar PV projects in Iraq and a green hydrogen project in Oman to focus its resources on developing projects in the North African territory.

Scatec is the lead developer for Egypt Green Hydrogen’s project, which was first announced in 2021. Scatec, Abu Dhabi’s Fertiglobe and the local Orascom Construction are developing the project in partnership with The Sovereign Fund of Egypt and Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company.

In July 2023, Scatec signed an agreement with Egypt’s New & Renewable Energy Authority (NREA) to secure land for a planned 5,000MW wind farm in western Sohag.

In September last year, Scatec signed a US-dollar-denominated 25-year PPA with Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company for a 1,000MW solar and 100MW/200MWh battery storage hybrid project in Egypt.

Photo credit: Scatec


MEED’s March 2025 special report on Egypt includes:

> COMMENTEgypt battles structural issues
> GOVERNMENT: Egypt is in the eye of Trump’s Gaza storm
> ECONOMY: Egypt’s economy gets its mojo back
> OIL & GASEgypt gas project activity collapses amid energy crisis
> POWER & WATER: Egypt’s utility projects keep pace
> CONSTRUCTION: Coastal city scheme is a boon to Egypt construction
> DATABANK: Egypt faces complex economic reality

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Jennifer Aguinaldo
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