By Ebi Kesiena
The construction of one of the world’s largest wind farms in Egypt is set to begin by March 2026, according to a statement from Mohamed Ismail Mansour, chairman of Infinity Power.
This announcement comes as the country faces severe power cuts during a scorching summer, underscoring the urgent need for new energy sources.
The onshore megaproject, with an investment exceeding $10 billion, is expected to start generating electricity by 2032. Infinity Power, a joint venture between Egypt’s Infinity and Abu Dhabi’s renewable energy giant Masdar, is spearheading the 10-gigawatt project. Initially scheduled to commence this year, the project was delayed due to challenges in acquiring land in the Upper Egyptian region of West Sohag, Mansour explained.
Egypt has been struggling with scheduled power outages for about a year, as soaring temperatures and other factors strain the nation’s ability to meet the electricity demands of its over 105 million residents. Despite having significant offshore gas fields and being a key exporter to Europe, Egypt has had to revert to importing LNG, with purchases this year projected to be the highest since 2018.
In response to the energy crisis, authorities have allocated $1.2 billion for additional energy imports, including heavy fuel oil, to alleviate the power cuts this summer, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly announced on Thursday.
The electricity generated by the Sohag wind farm will significantly benefit Egypt, which plans to decommission some of its gas-powered plants as renewable energy output increases. The country aims to boost the share of renewables in its energy mix to 42% by 2030, reflecting its ambitious commitment to sustainable energy development.
