At visit to Kribi Port: Energy minister assesses measures to secure electricity, water supply .

He was accompanied by the Governor of the South Region, Félix Nguele Nguele; the Senior Divisional Officer of Océan Division, Bouba Haman, and the Director Generals of Kribi Port Authority, PAK, the Electricity Sector Regulatory Agency, ARSEL and Cameroon Water Utilities Corporation, CAMWATER. During the tour, the minister and his entourage visited key electricity and drinking water facilities within the port area.

The mission focused primarily on the progress of the 225/30 kV substation being constructed at the Kribi port and the 225 kV high-voltage line linking the Kribi gas power plant to the port. Together, the projects are expected to provide a more reliable and secure energy supply to the industrial-port complex.

Speaking during the visit, Minister Eloundou Essomba stated that “electricity is truly oxygen for industry,” stressing the central role of energy in sustaining industrial activity. 

According to the minister, with companies increasingly establishing operations around the port, electricity consumption is expected to rise significantly and any prolonged interruption or instability could affect production, investment decisions and the competitiveness of the entire platform.

He noted that the 225/30 kV substation represents one of the main pillars of government’s response. The facility has a total transformation capacity of 120 MVA, provided by two 60 MVA transformers. Construction has been completed, while individual electrical tests and on-site acceptance tests have already been carried out.

According to the minister, the second component is the 225 kV KPDC–PAK transmission line, designed with two circuits. The first will establish a dedicated connection between the Kribi gas power plant and the port substation. 

The second will connect the port to the line from Mangombé, thereby giving access to other sources within the Southern Interconnected Grid.

This configuration, the minister explained, is designed to introduce redundancy into the electricity supply system. In practical terms, the port will not depend exclusively on the Kribi gas power plant. Power can also be drawn from major production facilities such as Nachtigal, Songloulou and Memve’ele.

“It is a redundancy that ensures security of supply at all times,” the minister explained. 

The objective is to guarantee the port and surrounding industrial facilities electricity in sufficient volume, of adequate quality and on a continuous basis.

According to Minister Eloundou Essomba, the infrastructure is still under construction and of the 121 foundations planned for the transmission line, 109 have been completed, representing 89 percent progress. 

Pylon assembly stands at 32 out of 121, with a percentage rate of 26. At the same time, all the equipment required for the line has been delivered to the site.

For the substation, equipment manufacturing is complete, while 60 percent has already undergone factory acceptance. Despite this progress, he noted that some challenges remain, particularly the clearance of approximately six kilometres of the transmission corridor. Social concerns linked to the affected areas are also being addressed.

According to Minister Eloundou Essomba, consumption is growing exponentially as more industrial operators settle in the area. This, he said, has prompted them to look beyond the immediate infrastructure and anticipate future requirements.

He noted that one of the strategic options under consideration is the expansion of the Kribi gas power plant, with the ambition of increasing its capacity to 620 MW. Such an expansion, he stated, would provide additional generation capacity to accompany the growth of the industrial-port complex and strengthen the country’s electricity supply.

The minister and his entourage did not limit their visit to electricity. The delegation also visited the drinking water supply project serving the port. The infrastructure is considered another essential component of the ecosystem required to support industrial development.

For companies operating in the industrial zone, reliable electricity alone is not sufficient. Secure access to drinking water is equally important for production, sanitation and the daily functioning of industrial facilities. 

According to minister, “we need water, we need electricity”. He stated that water and electricity are two essential conditions for the successful development of the platform.

For the member of government, the stakes extend beyond infrastructure completion. He explained that stable electricity and adequate water supplies are expected to encourage the establishment of new companies, improve industrial productivity, create employment and generate additional wealth.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3889 of Tuesday August 25, 2026