The Toshka project is a groundbreaking initiative which aims to reclaim an area of more than 2,200 km2 of desert by 2024 in the South Valley of the Toshka desert. To put the magnitude into perspective, the area is 25 times larger than Manhattan. The ambitious undertaking will eventually double the region’s arable land and boost agricultural production to help fulfill the state’s efforts; encouraging investment and creating job opportunities through agricultural activity, food manufacturing and associated urban activities. The development will also establish new and integrate existing communities in parallel to the Nile Valley, but most importantly will greatly support the efforts of the country to assure food security and become wheat self-sufficient.
For the initial two phases of this mega project ABB supplied its medium-voltage primary and secondary switchgear offerings UniGear and UniSec, along with compact substations. Used to control, protect and isolate electrical equipment, switchgear is a key element in electrical networks. This technology will guarantee a continuous electric power supply for irrigation systems and related services stretching across the reclaimed land.
For the 57 pumping stations, ABB has also supplied hundreds of low-voltage motors, variable speed drives (VSDs) and soft starters. The complete solution will ensure reliable, energy-efficient operations. Developed specifically for pumping applications, ABB’s ACQ580 VSDs match the speed and torque of the electric motors to the pumping demand, thereby offering energy savings, typically between 30 to 50 percent.
“Working on national mega projects is a matter of pride for us. Thanks to ABB’s long-established presence in Egypt, with distinguished manufacturing facilities and professional teams, we were able to deliver all required equipment in record time and provide high-quality advanced solutions and capabilities, demonstrating our eagerness and readiness to support vital sectors in the country,” says Mohamed Salem, Local Division Manager, ABB Distribution Solutions Electrification.
Despite having to overcome extreme logistics, with the project location being more than 700km from Cairo and manufacturing materials being shipped from different parts of the world during the COVID pandemic lockdowns, the ABB teams in Egypt in Egypt were able to deliver in half the usual time for such requirements and remain on schedule.
