By Sami Zaptia.
London, 27 September 2019:
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by the internationally recognized prime minister of Libya, Faiez Serraj, in New York on Wednesday with U.S power generation giant General Electric (GE).
The MoU entails the implement of new electric production capacity of 6,000 MW, raising the efficiency of existing power plants, the establishment of new renewable energy power generation projects (wind and solar), and power transportation projects.
The Tripoli-based Libyan government reported that MoU with GE International Gas Energy Systems proposed a programme of work in line with the first five-year Libyan plan for electric power. This aims to increase capacity by about 6,000 MW, in addition to adopting a number of programs to implement maintenance and buildings. For existing power units, programmess related to environmental conservation were agreed.
No mention was made of GE’s existing stalled projects or of any newly suggested proposals as a solution to the problem of insecurity in Libya, which is seen as the main reason preventing most foreign contractors from resuming their stalled projects.
Equally, it must be noted that this was an MoU, as opposed to a contract, which may be no more than a wish to implement some projects at some unspecified future time.