It is a “high-voltage” feat, not to say an unprecedented performance, SENELEC concluded with its Guinean counterpart EDG an electricity purchase contract which was concluded under the aegis of the Republic of Guinea and from Senegal. The transfer of electricity from the Senelec park will be done via the OMVG high voltage lines.
Electricité de Guinée and the company SENELEC thus magnify the interconnection of the unified electrical systems of ECOWAS countries within the framework of the regional energy market. Senegal is one of the rare countries with excess capacity to sell to deficit countries in the area. Paradoxically, just 12 years ago our country produced barely 400 MW with an obsolete production park almost amortized around gas turbines that consume fossil fuels, today our country is soon approaching 2,000 megawatts with the commissioning of services. of West Africa Energie’s dual heavy fuel oil – natural gas plant.
Even the optimum use and consumption of SENEGAL reached during heat peaks will allow an additional reserve of some 700MW to be released into the sub-regional market, EDG has understood this well despite its historical relations with the coast ivory which is very often in seasonal deficit due to strong industrial demand and economic overheating of the first GDP of the franc zone.
The Simandou mines around iron and bauxite have mobilized more than 30 billion dollars in investments, hence the appetite and strong demand for electricity from construction sites in a country where the hydro energy production system -electricity is affected by climate change and chronic investment delays, not to mention the fire in petroleum product depots which is drying up the country’s fuel-oil power plants.
Guinea has a daily deficit of 12,000 Mwh or 80% of production capacity which exposes almost 90% of the population who only have 3 hours of electricity per day. Our neighbors are experiencing “twice as bad” as Senegal experienced in 2011 during the electricity riots
With the support of the State and the successful restructuring of Senelec, Senegal is inaugurating the regional electricity market thanks to its production surplus for a short-term gain of 60 billion in Senelec’s coffers. In the long term it is 350 billion over 4 years with a typical spot contract model according to my assessments. Senegal’s largest turnover and the country’s largest employer are thus enriched.
Let’s just hope that the Senelec – EDG electricity purchase contract is covered by an insurance contract because CONAKRY is not always respectful and punctual with payment deadlines, especially if it is in hard currencies.
#Senegal
