Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire (MAT)- THE LARGEST HYDROELECTRIC DAM IN CÔTE D’IVOIRE under construction by China in Soubré (south-west) will be delivered in advance, “probably in 2017″, instead of 2018 as originally planned.
The information was given by the Ivorian Prime Minister Daniel Kablan Duncan during a visit to the site, the weekend passed, to assess the progress of work since the first stroke officially launched on February 25th 2013.
“I can safely say, with regard to the progress of the work that is 72%, that this challenge is about to be released,” said Mr. Kablan Duncan arrived in a briefing note Xinhua Tuesday.
While welcoming the “speed of execution” of the work, the prime minister sees the “probable delivery” of the book “in 2017 instead of September 2018″ as the previously set date of completion.
During his visit Daniel Kablan Duncan reviewed all sites involved in the project, including the spillway, dikes, plant water intake, tailrace through sites housing, the housing construction managers and workers, displaced populations, and water treatment basis.
Soubré dam, 4.5 km long, stands as the most powerful and the largest subregional center power generation with an installed capacity of 275 MW and annual energy production of 1,100 gigawatt hours (GWh) at a cost nearly $ 572 million (about 286 billion FCFA) 85% financed by China and 15% by the Ivorian state.
The total installed capacity in Côte d’Ivoire is 1975 MW, supplied 72.5% by four thermal power plants and 27.5% six hydropower plants.
Since 2012, the national government has taken action, including production structures construction projects to increase the installed capacity ofCôte d’Ivoire to about 4,000 MW by 2020 and 6,000 MW in 2030.
In this context, it has just ratified two loan agreements totaling 809 million dollars (about 470 billion CFA) signed with China to finance a project for development and rehabilitation of the electricity network in Côte d’Ivoire.
The project involves the construction of 14 new high-voltage substations, rehabilitation of 13 high-voltage substations, construction of 1555 km of transmission lines and supply of electrical equipment besides the electrification of 500 rural communities.
The challenge for the country is to sustain its growth found the average rate of 9% for four years to achieve its goal of being self-sufficient and an exporter of electricity in the West African sub-region.
Côte d’Ivoire provides electricity to Ghana, Togo, Benin, Burkina Faso, Mali and eventually to Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea.
