• Environmental study confirms a 2026 start for the first 500 MW phase

• Project includes 1000 MW of solar capacity and 200 MWh of storage

• Egypt aims to raise renewable energy to 42% of its power mix by 2030

The environmental impact study for Egypt’s Dandara solar project, published on Tuesday, November 25 by the African Development Bank, indicates that the first phase will begin in the second quarter of 2026. This stage is expected to run for about 15 months until June 2027 and will cover 500 MW of capacity combined with 100 MWh of storage.

The project is led by Norway’s Scatec through Dandara Solar Power S.A.E. It covers the development of 1000 MW of solar capacity and 200 MWh of storage split into two equal phases. The entire site spans 2,335 hectares in the Qena governorate, east of the Nagaa Hammadi industrial zone, with 1,130 hectares allocated to the first phase.

The facility is located near the Egypt Aluminium complex, one of the country’s largest industrial power consumers. The goal is to meet part of the complex’s electricity needs with renewable energy, with potential emission cuts of up to 60% according to the study.

The grid connection will rely on a one-kilometer overhead line linking the project’s planned substation to the Nagaa Hammadi industrial zone substation. The electricity will then be transferred to EgyptAlum through the national grid under a wheeling mechanism.

The announcement comes as Egypt works to increase the share of renewable energy in its power mix to 42% by 2030, a target set under the national energy transition strategy. This plan is supported by several international institutions, notably the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, which is already involved in financing the Dandara project alongside the African Development Bank and the European Investment Bank. The project aligns with the country’s industrial decarbonization goals.

Abdoullah Diop