Senegal and Mauritania have just crossed a historic course in the exploitation of natural gas. With the export of the first cargo of LNG from the GTA deposit, the two countries settle on the world of energy. In parallel, the construction of the northern gas pipeline marks a new stage towards energy independence and the economic transformation of the region.
In continuation of this development, another major project is underway: the construction of the northern gas pipeline, an essential infrastructure intended to transport the gas extracted from the GTA deposit to the Gandon power plant, located in Saint-Louis. This gas pipeline will include 40 kilometers of driving on land (onshore), 45 kilometers at sea (offshore), as well as a 1 kilometer section made in directed drilling.
The main objective of this infrastructure is to provide natural gas to power plants, as part of the national “Gas-to-Power” strategy, which aims to guarantee clean, more stable and better suitable electricity production.
The commissioning of the northern gas pipeline is scheduled for the first quarter of the year 2026, while the Gandon power plant, with a capacity of 250 megawatts, is being developed and should enter into office by the end of 2025. These two infrastructures are called upon to play a decisive role in reducing electricity costs for households and businesses, while stimulating energy.
Considered as a priority project by the Senegalese authorities, the northern gas pipeline was the subject of particular attention during the Council of Ministers of July 3. On this occasion, Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko insisted on the need to accelerate his realization in order to take full advantage of the opportunities offered by the exploitation of the GTA deposit.
The deployment of this infrastructure is also part of the missions entrusted to the gas network of Senegal (RGS), a company created in 2019 to implement the strategies “Gas-to-Power” and “Gas-to-Industries”, defined by the government in 2018. Composed of the Petrosen Holding SA, Fonsis and Senelec, RGS shareholders, RGS, And to facilitate the use of natural gas, both for the production of electricity and for the industrial needs of the country.
