The Egypt-Libya regional interconnection project is a proposed 165 km electricity link from Saloum in Egypt to Tobruk in Libya, designed to exchange 1,000 MW and support completion of the North African regional electricity interconnection.
Egyptian official reports confirm that an Egypt-Libya interconnection has operated since 1998.
The project comprises an alternating-current transmission line of about 165 km between Saloum and Tobruk. It will connect the Egyptian 500 kV system with the Libyan 400 kV system through a 500/400 kV back-to-back converter station rated at 1,000 MW.
Verified implementation and technical context: The project is intended to reinforce and expand an established cross-border electricity relationship. The proposed Saloum-Tobruk facilities would use a back-to-back converter to connect national systems with different operating characteristics and substantially increase exchange capacity. The investment requires updated joint system studies, confirmation of the preferred technical configuration, coordinated network reinforcements, a cross-border operating and commercial code, environmental and social preparation and an agreed allocation of costs and benefits.
1. Facilitate the North African regional electrical grid interconnection as per the PIDA Priority Action Plan (PAP), using a combination of alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC) transmission lines connected to high-voltage national networks. 2. Upgrade the existing Egypt-Libya electricity interconnection from its current 150 MW capacity to 1,000 MW in this first stage, with a longer-term ambition to reach 2,000 MW, addressing Libya's significant electricity supply deficit. 3. Enable bilateral power exchange and peak load sharing between Egypt and Libya, enhancing energy security for both countries. 4. Support Egypt's strategic goal of becoming a regional energy hub by expanding cross-border electricity export capacity. 5. Create a foundation for future integration with other North African countries (Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco) as part of the broader North African regional interconnection.