Announcement of an Agreement Providing for a Survey of the Electric Power Requirements of Sudan and the Preparation of a Long-Range Program for Power Development on February 7, 1963

1 FO~ IMMEDIATE RELEAS E f• /) WOIILD • INTERNATIONAL BANK FOR RECONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT 1818 H STREET, N.W., WASHlNGTON 25, D. C. TELEPHONE: EXECUTIVE3-6360 February 7, 1963 SUBJECT: Sudan Electric Power Study The United Nations Special Fund, the Government of Sudan and the World Bank have signed an agreement providing for a survey of the electric power requirements of Sudan and the preparation of a long-range program for power development" The survey will be the first comprehensive study of Sudan 1 s power needs and potential. It includes an examination of Sudants existing power requirements, an estimate of the demand expected within the next 10 to 15 :?ears and the pre- paration of a plan for the most economical development of facilities to meet • these needs, including new hydroolectric and thermal plants and the extension of high voltage transmission lines. September. The survey is expected to be complete by next The Special Fund approved the project in May 1962, and has allocated $115,200 toward its cost. The local currency costs, which will amount to the equivalent of approximately $26,ooo, will be borne by the Government of Sudano The World Bank will act as Executing Agency for the project and will disburse the funds made available by the Special Fundo The Government of Sudan will retain the services of a consulting firm, Merz and McLellan in association with Interna.tional Engineering Company, Inc., to carry out the prnject. The use of electric power in the Sudan has increased markedly in the last few years, and is growing at the rate of 16% annually. Taking account of a 15,000-kilowatt hydroelectric power station which will soon come into operation at Sennar on the Blue Nile, Sudan's entire generating capacity is about 75,000 kilowatts. The largest power station is the 40,000-kilowatt Burri steam and • diesel power station at Khartoum. The rest of the country is served mainly by small diesel and steam-driven generators~ These are costly to operate; they not only are less efficient than larger units but they also must import all their requirements of fuel, since Sudan has no domestic supply~