Senegal has launched the Malicounda power plant. The country’s President, Macky Sall, inaugurated the 120MW plant that aims to boost the country’s mission to adopt natural gas as a transitional energy source.
The power plant was built under a public-private partnership (PPP), in Malicunda, 85 km from the capital Dakar. This is a thermal power plant that will operate with two turbines, one of which is a combustion turbine and the other a steam turbine connected to an alternator. With the same amount of fuel, these two turbines can produce a larger amount of electricity.
The project’s developer included the investment company Africa50, the energy company Melec PowerGen and the Senegalese National Electricity Company (SENELEC), chose fuel oil as the initial fuel.
READ:Rehabilitation of Tzaneen Dam in South Africa set to commence
Malicounda power plant
The Malicounda power plant will be converted to natural gas when Senegal begins to exploit its local deposits. These include the Great Ahmeyim Turtle (GTA) field, which is expected to come on stream during 2023. These gas blocks extend across the maritime border of Senegal and Mauritania.
The reserves are estimated at 1.4 trillion m³ of gas, making the GTA project one of the largest under development in Africa. The two countries have agreed to share the revenues, estimated at $80-90 billion over 20 years. The Malicounda combined cycle power plant is covered by a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA) under which the energy produced is fed into the Senelec grid.
According to Africa50, the new combined cycle plant produces more electricity more efficiently (up to 55%) with lower emissions than older open cycle plants, which dissipate 67% of energy as waste. “Emissions are expected to be below International Finance Corporation (IFC) recommendations,” reassures the financing platform founded by the African Development Bank (AfDB) and African states. In addition to this environmental benefit, the plant should help meet base load requirements, facilitating the injection of renewable and often intermittent energy into the grid.
