Algeria: More than 40 billion US Dollars to increase electricity production

7 January 2010

Forty two billion Dollars: That is how much Sonelgaz, the Algerian energy company is planning to invest in the production of electricity between now and 2019.

Noureddine Bouterfa, CEO of the Group, made this announcement last week on national radio, stating that increasing production capacities is the key objective for Sonelgaz in order to meet the increasing demand for energy.

The aim is also to export any surplus to Spain or Morocco.

Investments are likewise going to be made in the sector of solar energy infrastructure, with the development of solar generating centres using photovoltaic panels.

“We are working towards giving priority to solar energy in Algeria, and we are anticipating integrating national production into the provision of solar equipment”, he stated.

The promotion of solar energy in Algeria has been speeded up following the announcement last month by the World Bank of the commitment of more than 5.5 billion Dollars to five countries: Jordan, Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco.

These funds should allow for the construction of infrastructures capable of producing up to one GigaWatt.<br/>