Nachtigal hydroelectric plant: Energy minister connects first 60 megawatts to national grid.

The ceremony took place Friday May 10. The Minister of Finance, Louis Paul Motaze, and the Minister of the Economy, Planning and Regional Development, Alamine Ousmane Mey, lived the event. 

Also present were technical partners, among them; ENEO, SONATREL, EDC, among others, as well as members of the diplomatic corps.

According to Minister Eloundou Essomba, the injection of the first 60 megawatts into the grid from the Nachtigal hydroelectric dam, is the materialisation of the Head of State's commitment and promise made to the population.

“Today’s event is therefore the concrete fulfillment of the promise made by the President of the Republic, to whom access to electricity is and remains a permanent concern. It is therefore a historic moment for the electricity sector, but also a source of pride for our country, as it marks the start of production of the second largest hydroelectric scheme in Central Africa,” Minister Eloundou Essomba said. 

According to the member of government, following the injection of the first 60 megawatt, the six remaining units will be commissioned gradually, at the rate of 60 megawatts each per month, with a view to commercial operation of the plant in December 2024. 

The plant, once fully installed, the minister stated, will have a generating capacity of 420 Megawatt, 7 x 60 megawatts of power to the South Interconnected Network, making it the most powerful power plant in the country. 

Plant asset to electricity sector

The power plant, he said, is an asset to the electricity sector, as it will make decarbonised electricity available and cheaper.

He said its completion and commercial commissioning by the end of the year 2024 will significantly increase the supply of energy in the national electricity system, thus improving the public electricity service.

Energy at heart of economic development

Citing the Head of State, Minister Eloundou Essomba noted that, energy is at the heart of any development process and without it, there can be no industry, no transformation of raw materials, and therefore no modern economy. 

The government, the minister said, in a bid to have access to this energy, which is the foundation of socio-economic development, through the National Development Strategy to 2030, SND 30, has made the strategic choice to develop the country significant hydroelectric potential. 

In this light, he said, several hydroelectric development projects are underway in the country as part of a Public-Private Partnership, PPP approach, to meet the ever-increasing demand for electricity from households and, above all, the growing number of industries. 

The aim of the approach, the member of government said, seeks to produce 5,000 megawatts by 2030, compared with less than 2,000 megawatts which exist now. 

Seven regions to benefit

The project, the minister added, will benefit seven regions, namely Centre, South, Littoral, East, West, North West and South West. 

The government, with the support of development partners, has put in place a 2024-2026 priority action plan, and the main objective of the action plan is the optimal absorption of energy from Nachtigal. 

Project to solve fraud issues

According to the member of government, the project will help solve the issue of fraud within the sector.

“The optimal absorption of energy from Nachtigal depends on the implementation of the electricity distribution and transmission projects set out in the Plan. Investments in distribution will focus mainly on replacing metering units 9, with a view to reducing fraud and increasing collections from customers. In the transmission segment, the aim will be to increase the transformation capacity of substations, which will improve the quality of electricity supply to industry and households,” the minister explained. 

The minister said he remains convinced that the implementation of this priority action plan, coupled with the commissioning of the Nachtigal dam, will address the concerns not only of households but also of industries.

To reduce frequent power cuts, boost investment

Minister Eloundou Essomba, in his remark, noted that the project will be beneficiary to households in particular as it substantially alleviates the inconvenience caused by regular power cuts due to a production shortfall. 

“…It will not only improve the quality of service of the electricity networks, but will also boost investment and, in turn, stimulate economic growth through industrialisation. I would like to take this opportunity to invite economic operators and investors of all kind to seize this opportunity to accelerate the country's industrial development, at a time when the import-substitution policy is one of the main levers of our economic transformation,” the minister said.

He equally used the opportunity to reassure the population of government’s determination of the availability of electricity, in sufficient quality and quantity, throughout the national territory.

Enter NHPC Managing Director 

Speaking during the ceremony, the Managing Director of NHPC, Vincent Leroux, said the company was incorporated under Cameroon law, which was created in July 16, 2016, with main mission to design and construct the Nachtigal Hydroelectric facility and to finance the works on the dam.

He added that once operational, Nachtigal dam will be the most powerful power station in Cameroon and a real asset for the sustainable development of the country.

According to Leroux, as at the end of April 2024, the Nachtigal project stands at over 93 percent complete and all the technical partners are firmly committed to see into it that the rest of the works are done.

The plant, he said, once completed, will supply 420 megawatts that is 30 percent of the Interconnected South Grid with green electricity, which will be available all year round.