Major plans to boost power supplies
ELECTRICITY Demand has been rising by 6-8 per cent annually and will continue to increase rapidly
OMRAN IBRAHIM ABUKRAA
Secretary for GECOL
New power plants and upgraded transmission and distribution systems are needed to drive the economy
DEVELOPMENT of Libya’s energy sector is by no means limited to oil and gas. Consumption of electricity has been rising sharply in line with the development of the economy, and major expansions of the country’s generation, transmission, and distribution systems are planned for the next five years.
With help from international partners, the General Electric Company of Libya (Gecol), Libya’s national utility company, is overseeing ambitious plans to revolutionize the sector.
“Electrical energy is the most important sector in any country worldwide, due to its direct impact on socio-economic activities and on the development of all other sectors,” says Omran Ibrahim Abukraa, Secretary for Gecol.
“The fundamental objective of our plans is to secure and guarantee the electrical power supply to meet the growing demand for energy in all sectors.”
Libya has invested hugely in electricity over the last two decades. Gecol, which has sole responsibility for generation, transmission, and distribution, operates around 30 power plants.
Total installed capacity stands at 4,900 MW. Demand, however, has been increasing by around 6-8 per cent annually, and will continue to rise rapidly as international companies enter the Libyan market.
In addition to improving the infrastructure, Gecol is restructuring, upgrading its technology and improving training of employees.
Demand currently peaks at around 3,800 MW, but in the summer of 2004 there were widespread blackouts as the power plants struggled to cope.
To respond to the growing need, Gecol has drawn up plans for $3.5 billion of investment in eight new combined cycle and steam cycle power plants by 2010. The utility says a further $2.6 billion will need to be invested by 2020.
“Recent studies have shown that peak demand is expected to reach 5,800 MW by 2010 and about 8,000 MW by 2020,” says Mr. Abukraa. “Around 5,500 MW needs to be added by 2010, using natural gas as a primary fuel source. About 2,400 MW of this extra capacity is under construction, and the rest is in different stages of contracting.”
Deals have been signed with Russia’s Tekhnopromexport and South Korea’s Hyundai, worth $600 million and $280 million respectively.
Siemens will provide five of 10 district network control centers planned for 2010
Gecol’s master plan also includes the building of hundreds of new substations and thousands of miles of overhead lines and underground cables to upgrade the transmission and distribution systems. A new 400 kV grid and an expansion of the existing 220 kV system are expected to cost around $1 billion.
“The 400 kV system will be the highway backbone of the transmission network,” says Mr. Abukraa. “It will reinforce interconnection between the various parts of the country, and enhance our capability for interconnection with neighboring countries. This will give Gecol the opportunity to play an important role in the North Africa power grid and to become one of the most important players in the future electricity market in the region.”
In 2004 a $225 million deal was signed with Germany’s Siemens to provide five district network control centers, scheduled for commissioning in early 2008. A total of 10 control centers are planned by 2010. A new national control center is expected to come into operation in 2006, in addition to a renewed Tripoli control center.
Cooperation is taking place between Gecol and several U.S. companies, and Mr. Abukraa says there are good opportunities for leading electrical firms, “in particular, companies from the U.S. who have the technical and financial capability.”
Photos
Source:
UNITED WORLD
http://www.unitedworld-usa.com
