At visit to Nachtigal Hydroelectric Dam site: Energy minister hails quality, evolution of works.

The member of government made the positive assessment Friday, December 1. This was shortly after visiting the project site in Ndokoa, Mbanjock Subdivision, Upper Sanaga Division of the Centre Region.

Minister Eloundou Essomba visited the project site in the presence of the Managing Director, MD, of the Nachtigal Hydro Power Company, NHPC, Vincent Leroux and other actors in the energy sector.

First generating unit ready, more power expected

Eloundou Essomba and his team toured the dam and the headrace canal; the 225 kilovolt substation and the power transmission line between Nachtigal and Nyom II. The minister also visited the power station, focusing on the Generating Unit N°1.

At every stop, Eloundou Essomba saluted the speed and quality of work being done. He rated the level of realisation at 92 percent, adding that the first machine is ready with additional power to be pumped into the national grid. The minister stated that the Generating Unit No.1 will be fully put to use this month.

According to the minister, “it’s a special moment as the rooms where generators are found were opened. We visited the transformer of the generating Unit No.1 that has been completely installed. We have to know that the first generator has been installed and some verification is being done so that it starts serving Cameroonians extra energy...”

Minister Eloundou Essomba (Second from left) during field evaluation 

Cost of electricity to drop

The Water and Energy boss stated that with the coming of power from the facility, citizens would experience a drop in unit cost for power supplied to their homes.

At the moment, he said, a Kilo Watt, KW, of electricity from other stations cost 200 FCFA whereas what will be supplied from the Nachtigal Dam will cost 42 FCFA. 

The government, he also said, will, thanks to the dam, reduce the amount of money it spends to subsidise electricity. 

“Thanks to this project, we will have more stability, more production and the system will have enough to satisfy present and future demands,” the minister assured. 

Need to satisfy companies’ power need

The minister also talked of the need to meet the energy needs of companies in major towns. 

In the case of Kribi and Douala, he said, “we have a supplementary demand of 250 thousand megawatt which is not satisfactory”. 

He also said there are “companies that auto-produce their electricity just because what is supplied to them is insufficient and the stability is not assured. The auto-production rate now stands at 450megawatt”.

Minister Eloundou Essomba getting details on progress of works 

The project, he insisted, will completely change the electricity sector and boost financial resources for more development. This, he said, will be through the export of power to neighbouring countries

Minister Eloundou Essomba cited the recent partnership with Chad “to launch the start of the interconnection between Cameroon and Chad with first the component the interconnection between the South Network with that of the North. With this project, the country will boast of a single network and everyone will be well served”.

Commitment to handle cracks 

On reports of cracks within the dam, the minister said everything is being done to solve the problem.

“We are talking here of a project that brings together some 3500 workers. As such, some mishaps may occur, reason we are talking about trial periods. This project is on high surveillance,” the minister said.

Government, the minister said, has its experts, while NHPC has its expertise and the other partners have theirs. On this score, he said there is a synergy of actions to ensure all is well.

He restated that government is confident the project is of good quality. He said it was rather surprising that some persons gave a complex reading of the situation in the media.

Minister alongside project officials after evaluating work

The Nachtigal Project

Once fully commissioned in September 2024, Nachtigal will supply about 30% of the national electricity needs of the Southern Interconnected Grid. 

This will be with a green, competitive and all-year around energy, placing the project at the heart of Cameroon’s sustainable development. 

It is equally expected to be the most powerful power station in Cameroon and a real asset for the sustainable development of the country. 

The Nachtigal Project consists of the construction of: A run of the river type hydroelectric facility composed of a dam with a conventional vibrated concrete section with water intake, flood evacuator; a 4.5 MegaWatt base station and a roller-compacted concrete section 1,380 m long and 13.5 m high on the Sanaga River; a 3.3 km long intake canal.

It also has a power station equipped with seven turbines of 60 Mega Watts each, making a total installed capacity of 420 Mega Watts.

The dam has a 50 km long 225,000 V power transmission line between the Nachtigal site and Nyom II; a housing estate that will house the dam's operating teams, 3D computer generated view of the upstream part of the dam: Labyrinth weir; Spillway; Water intake and Inlet channel.

About Nachtigal Hydro Power Company 

The Nachtigal Hydro Power Company, NHPC it should be said, is a Public Limited Company incorporated under Cameroonian law, created on July 16, 2016. Its mission is to design, finance and build the Nachtigal Hydroelectric Dam. The company will also operate the hydroelectric facility for 35 years.