Several investors have joined forces as part of a public-private partnership in the construction of a hydropower plant that will produce green energy for the capital Libreville. Projects from the Gabonese Fund for Strategic Investments and the company Meridiam, the future facility will increase electricity capacity in the Gabonese capital by 13%.
as reported from Libreville,Yves-Laurent Goma
Due to rural emigration, Libreville is growing very fast. To facilitate access to electricity for all residents, it is systematic to use thermal power plants.
Kinguele downstream hydroelectric power plants that are under construction will enable Gabon to emerge from polluting energies, explained Energy Minister Alain Claude Bilie of Nze. “We target 80% of hydropower production and therefore replace everything that is thermal energy produced from diesel.”
The cost of the project is enormous: 179 million euros or 117 billion CFA francs. Libreville mobilized a conglomerate of investors including the World Bank and the African Development Bank.
“We support Gabon’s energy transition,” said Robert Masumbuko, a representative of AfDB. Today, there are still too many old diesel plants that are bad for the government and expensive for consumers. In the future it will be hydro, it will be cheaper and it will be green. ”
According to forecasts, the new plant will be taken into production in 3 years with a capacity of 35 megawatts. In 2024, therefore, all power plants that run on diesel and heating oil will be closed.
.
