SNC-Lavalin, a global construction and project management group, said it has been awarded a four-year project management office (PMO) and engineering design review services contract by the Saudi Electric Company and The Egyptian Electricity Transmission Corporation to support the Saudi-Egypt power grids project.

 

The first large-scale high voltage direct current (HVDC) interconnection in the Middle East and North Africa region, the Saudi-Egypt power grids project is being set up at an investment of $1.8 billion.

 

SNC-Lavalin’s PMO mandate includes supervising the design and execution of the project, and involves supervision of contractors throughout the engineering, construction and commissioning phases. 

 

The project will be led by the company’s regional expertise in the Middle East and supported by its global HVDC Center of Excellence in Canada.

 

"For more than half a century, SNC-Lavalin has established a proven track record in the clean power market by delivering some of the most complex HVDC interconnection projects around the world," remarked Ian L Edwards, the President and CEO of SNC-Lavalin. 

 

"Our unrivalled engineering capabilities and understanding of the energy market are coupled with the highest quality standards and latest technologies to ensure we deliver sustainable power solutions to our global clients and the communities they serve," he added.

 

The region's top HVDC interconnection will extend 1,300 km from Egyptian capital Cairo to Saudi city of Madinah, with an intermediate point located in Tabuk city. 

 

Given the long distance involved and the fact that the two countries use different electric frequencies, the interconnection will use HVDC technology to allow for total control of the power flow in either direction. 

 

Once complete, the Saudi-Egypt Interconnection project will allow the two countries to exchange up to 3 GW of electricity at peak times, powering upward of 20 million people.

 

"With over 50 years’ presence in the Middle East, we have established a track record of delivering flagship power projects across the region," remarked Karl Matalani, Vice-President, Power, Middle East at SNC-Lavalin. 

 

Since the 1970s, SNC-Lavalin has established itself as a world-renowned engineering provider for HVDC systems. Its global team consists of highly experienced HVDC specialists and project delivery teams supported by a network of top industry experts.

 

"Our first-in-class global HVDC engineering team, deployed in several regions around the world, is honoured to oversee the implementation of such an impressive length of network across a challenging geographic landscape that includes both land and sea," he stated.

 

"In 2010, we had also successfully completed the front-end engineering and design mandate for the Saudi-Egypt power grids project," he added.-TradeArabia News Service