Egypt ERA amends regulations of 500 KW solar plants

The Egyptian Electric Utility and Consumer Protection Regulatory Agency (Egypt ERA) has approved amendments of solar energy’s regulations with capacity up to 500 KW.

Hatem Wahid, head of the Egypt ERA, said that the amendments stipulated that the specified electricity distribution company will install the electricity metre for partners that have signed a contract to establish a solar power station, provided that the partner pays for the installation of the metre.The monthly bills will be calculated on the basis of the purchased net energy.

When the partner achieves a monthly surplus in the energy supplied to the company, the net energy supply will be added to the next month’s bill.The bills are then calculated in accordance with the net consumption segments. In case of a recurring surplus following the settlement, it will be added to the consumer balance over the following months.

However if the subscriber had a sufficient balance at the end of the calendar year after the settlement for the December’s consumption, the distribution company will purchase this surplus at a price equivalent to the average cost of electricity produced in accordance with the latest cost of the service report issued by the Egypt ERA, which is 68.9pt/KW/h.

Moreover, an annual update of the prices to take place for both existing and new projects in conjunction with updating the cost of production according to the cost of the service report issued annually by the Egypt ERA.

Meanwhile, Egypt Era will issue certificates of energy to partners by issuing one certificate per MW/h, provided that the partner’s production of solar energy is not less than one MW per month.

The purpose of the certificate is to stimulate the consumption of energy produced from renewable sources, through the sale and purchase of these certificates.