4.1 The Mediterranean Power Pool

The possibility of interconnecting and operating the power systems of the 17 Mediterranean Sea countries is interesting and challenging. These countries fall within three time zones and have different climatic conditions and in addition, the 380 million inhabitants have different living customs and habits. In fact many electrical connections exist or are under way between two or more neighbouring countries, however, a complete formation of an integrated power pool will surely prove beneficial.

Mediterranean Power Pool

Egypt, as one of the Mediterranean countries held in the year 1991 with the support of the Observatoire Mediterraneen de L'Energie (OME) and the Commision of the European Communities (CEC) a Seminar on "Cooperation Through Electric Power Interconnection in the Mediterranean Region". The recommendation was to prepare a Master Plan study for the interconnection of the Mediterranean Sea countries. Since then, Egypt became an affiliated member of the UNIPEDE, sharing in all it's activities.
The "SYSTMED" which is the working group created from representatives of Mediterranean countries members of UNIPEDE has been entrusted to study the assessment of a framework of coherence for the long term development of the networks of the Mediterranean countries.

The horizon of the study is up to the year 2010 where a complete survey has been made by the group of experts for all existing, on-going or planned interconnection projects as well as on-going studies for interconnection projects up to the year 2000, this will be followed by the "Mediterranean Countries Interconnection Project" study for the year 2010.

According to national generation expansion plans, the total electrical production expected for the year 2000 will reach 1635 TWh and then 2200 TWh in year 2010.

The peak load of the interconnected Mediterranean power system is expected to reach 278 GW in 2010.

The required added capacities in the south and east Mediterranean countries up to the year 2010 are expected to be about 90 GW.

Although the study is in its earliest stage, primary basic indications on the order of magnitude of the fuel gains which may derive from an ideal pooled operation of the generating units of the Mediterranean power systems are well proving the economic interest of this interconnection.

With the implementation of this interconnection, Mediterranean countries in Africe would be interconnected to the countries of southern Europe.