Algeria begins construction of first hybrid gas-solar plant

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http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/news/awi/newsbriefs/general/2007/11/06/newsbrief-05

Algeria begins construction of first hybrid gas-solar plant

06/11/2007

The construction of the world's first hybrid gas-solar power plant began over the weekend in Hassi R'Mel, 800 km southeast of Algiers, local press reported. The $350m plant has a planned capacity of 150 megawatts and is the first of four hybrid power plants slated for construction in Algeria. The projects are being carried out by New Energy Algeria (NEAL), a company established in 2002 by Sonatrach and Sonelgaz in collaboration with Spain's Abener.

In related news on Monday, Sonatrach and Italian oil industry services company Saipem inked a $500m agreement for the construction of a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) pipeline that will connect the Hassi R'Mel terminal to the Arzew petrochemicals complex. The pipeline is to be completed by 2009 and will increase the Arzew terminal's LPG transport capacity from 9m to 15m tonnes per year.