Egypt’s national power grid recorded its highest-ever electricity load on Wednesday, reaching 40,200 megawatts (MW), according to reports from Sky News Arabia and other outlets. The surge in demand was driven by a severe heatwave sweeping the country, which pushed air conditioning use to unprecedented levels.
The figure, equivalent to roughly 40.2 gigawatts, marks the first time the grid has exceeded the 40,000 MW threshold, as reported by Egyptian newspaper Youm7. The record load was registered on August 12, 2026, amid scorching temperatures across much of the country.
Egyptian authorities have not announced a return to the load-shedding measures that were implemented in previous years during peak demand periods, according to Al-Masry Al-Youm. The outlet reported that officials have confirmed there are no plans to resume scheduled power cuts, despite the historic strain on the network.
The record demand comes as Egypt continues to expand its electricity infrastructure. The Minister of Electricity has stated that the second phase of the electrical interconnection project with Saudi Arabia is expected to be completed by the end of August, according to Youm7’s sister outlet, Shorouk News. That project is designed to enhance grid stability and allow for power sharing between the two countries.
The current heatwave has tested the limits of Egypt’s generation capacity, but the grid has so far maintained supply without resorting to rolling blackouts. The government has invested heavily in new power plants in recent years, which has helped increase reserve capacity.
Observers will be watching whether the grid can sustain this performance if temperatures continue to climb in the coming weeks, and whether the Saudi interconnection will be operational in time to provide additional support during the peak summer season.
