As dam project reaches 92%: Nachtigal Hydro Power Company announces six turbines to be commissioned in 2024.

This is according to recent release issued by the Nachtigal Hydro Power Company, NHPC, the company charged with the development of the power station. 

The press release was signed by the Director General of Nachtigal Hydro Power Company, Vincent Leroux.

According to the company, 2024 marks an important year for the project with the Nachtigal hydroelectric power station set to inject power from some six turbines into the national grid.

Going by the release, the company has achieved a significant milestones by the end of December 2023 with work progress estimated at 92% completed.

It was marked by the putting into use of the headrace canal in May, filling of the reservoir in July, completion of the first turbine in August and second turbine in October, completion of installation of all the plant’s penstocks in November, and the first power tests on the energy evacuation line in November. 

“Following these successfully completed milestones, the Nachtigal project has officially entered the commissioning phase of its first turbine with a capacity of 60 MegaWatt since December 2023, with the effective start of tests,” Vincent Leroux said in the release. 

In addition, he also specified that the testing phase is jointly accompanied by the commissioning of all the common equipment of the plant which will in turn enable the commissioning of second to seventh turbines throughout the year 2024.

For this to be done, NHPC has mobilised all the project partners and in particular the teams from the Electro mechanics lot, with the priority of delivering a safe and sustainable development. 

“All the partners of the Nachtigal project, hand in hand with the State of Cameroon, reiterate their commitment to work tirelessly to inject the first Megawatt into the network during the first quarter of 2024,” the release detailed.

It is worth noting that the Nachtigal hydroelectric dam is a global investment of 786 billion FCFA, which is expected to increase the country’s electricity production capacity by 30%. 

With the completion of the project and consequent commissioning anticipated for this year, hopes are high that the project will boost the contribution of hydroelectricity to the energy mix, and enable savings to be made on the purchase of fuels intended to run thermal power plants.

About project

The 420 Megawatt hydroelectric plant, was jointly designed by the government of Cameroon, EDF International (Electricity of France) and the International Finance Corporation, IFC. 

The project being harnesses on the Sanaga River, found some 65km northeast of Yaoundé, is said to be Cameroon's largest hydropower potential which will be connected to the Southern Interconnected Grid, which accounts for 94% of Cameroon's electricity consumption. 

The project also includes the construction of a 225 kV substation and a 50 km transmission line to the Nyom II connection station. Nachtigal will be the third project to benefit from the hydroelectric potential of the Sanaga River, after EDEA (276 MW commissioned in the 1950s) and Song Loulou (384 MW in the late 1970s).