The Grid Solutions, a branch of GE Renewable Energy, the subsidiary of American giant General Electric (GE) has won a US $47m contract for the construction and modernisation of several substations in Benin.
The energy project aims to improve performance of Benin’s national electricity grid as only one third of the country’s population has access to electricity, and total per capita consumption is low due to limited access and availability.
Contract details
Under the contract, France-based Company will provide a turnkey solution, including design, civil works, local transportation and commissioning of the facilities. The supply includes all the auxiliary electrical equipment and high voltage equipment for the substations, including gas-insulated switches, power transformers, circuit breakers, disconnections and earthling switches, instrument transformers, capacitors and control and protection services. Commissioning of the new facilities has been scheduled for 2022.
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Seven existing substations will also be upgraded including the Vedoko substation, the largest in the country, located in a strategic position for the reinforcement of the country’s (electricity) transmission infrastructure. GE Grid Solutions will also modernise and extend the Maria-Gleta, Berecingou, Djougou, Bohicon, Natitingou and Parakou substations. The project is being financed by the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC).
GE will open an office in Benin to facilitate the recruitment of local manpower to carry out the project. This is the second contract that GE Grid Solutions division has won under MCC’s US $375m million agreement with Benin, which focuses on the electricity sector.
The first contract, a turnkey distribution management system project consisting of the adaptation of telecommunications infrastructure and substations, was awarded in 2018 and is currently being implemented.
