In a statement made to Egypt Oil & Gas, an EGAS official reveled that connecting 250,000 households to the national gas grid is in progress, and to be finalized during the current year.

This move comes as part of the national natural gas program targeted to connect 2.4m households in 26 provinces over a three year period, ending in 2017.

He added that 6.4 million housing units had been connected from 1980 to the close of February 2015, with about 500,000 in Upper Egypt alone.

The source clarified that 2016 will witness an increase in butane production by 70%, as opposed to the current figure of 50%, in a concerted effort to reduce the import bill. The services provided to citizens will also be upgraded.