Naga Hammadi Dam

Naga Hammadi Dam, located 150 kilometres north of Luxor, is designed to replace an existing dam built early in the 20th century and provide irrigation to the Nile River Valley, regulate the flow of the river, and generate electrical power. This concrete gravity dam features two locks for river navigation and produces 64 megawatts of electricity thanks to four 16-megawatt turbines. To build Naga Hammadi, the Nile River had to be diverted for three years, and a total of 400,000 cubic metres of concrete was used at a monthly pace peaking at 30,000 cubic metres.

BACKGROUND

Since the 1970s, the population of Egypt has doubled: it went from 40 million in 1970 to 80 million in 2012. To respond to the needs of an ever-growing population, Egypt must build infrastructure that can meet these needs.
On September 29, 2001, a consortium led by VINCI Construction Grands Projets won the call for tenders. In late 2001, its choice was made official, and a contract was signed on June 1, 2002. The dam is designed to rationalise the Nile’s flood waters, thereby providing irrigation of agricultural lands during dry periods. The dam is a valuable public utility that enables Egypt to foster human and economic development.

TECHNICAL OVERVIEW

The dam is 300 metres long along its crest and 20 metres high. It features a double lock that is 220 metres long consisting of two chambers, a spillway consisting of seven bays, a hydroelectric power plant equipped with four 16-megawatt turbines, a road bridge spanning the Nile above the dam, and administrative and technical buildings (located on the left bank).
Prior to dry construction of the dam over the Nile, a provisional 1.5-km-long diversion channel was built using dry excavation methods and by dredging the river’s left bank. Cofferdams were then erected to create a space where the dam’s concrete structures were built.
Though there were no particular difficulties in building the dam, precautions were taken to address constraints due to the project’s geographical location. Accordingly, since the temperature in the region can rise to 50°C in the shade in summer, chunks of ice were added to the concrete during construction, keeping its temperature below 25°C. In addition, while most of the civil engineering materials were sourced locally, it was necessary to import the cofferdams, nine tower cranes (each about 40 metres high), pumps for concrete, and all replacement parts for this equipment. Finally, measures were implemented to prevent polluting this highly strategic water-course.

The longstanding presence of VINCI Construction Grands Projets in Egypt has given us in-depth understanding of local markets and allowed us to apply optimal work methods.

IMPACT

Naga Hammadi Dam is located in the Nile River Valley, Egypt’s “green lung” where most of the country’s population and agricultural lands are clustered. The dam is designed to regulate the flow of the river, produce hydroelectric power, and provide water for irrigation.
The dam provides Egypt with a modern irrigation system, which helps to boost its agricultural output. An awareness-raising campaign was organised to inform the local population and local farmers of the benefits of the dam for the region.
The project is yet another success story for the Group in Egypt, where we have been active for more than a century. Past success stories include the Ain Sukhna Rolling Mill, the Lines 1, 2 and 3 of the Cairo metro, and currently the construction of the New Assiut dam.
This diversity of achievements in Egypt reflect the scope of VINCI Construction Grands Projets’ expertise and the solid longstanding relationship based on trust that we enjoy with decision-makers in Egypt.

Project participants

Client
Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation of Egypt

Project management
Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation of Egypt

Key figures

Implementation dates
June 2002 to June 2008

Earthworks
4,750,000 m3

Structural concrete
390,000 m3

Formwork
263,000 m2

Testimonial

“Egypt is a developing country with a population of 82 million that is open to economic investment. VINCI enjoys a strong presence in this high-potential country. The Group’s companies benefit from VINCI’s image as a serious and honest partner.”

Joël Petit, zone director for Africa