Malicounda Power Plant

Malicounda, Senegal

Africa50-Project Finance

A 120 MW combined cycle thermal power plant at Malicounda.

Malicounda is a 120 MW combined cycle thermal power plant under construction 85 kilometres from Dakar, designed to produce at least 956 GWh of power a year. It will initially run on fuel oil but is expected to be converted to natural gas when this becomes available from local fields.

The electricity generated will be sold under a 20-year power purchase agreement and fed into the network through an existing distribution substation.

Development

• The plant is expected to increase generating capacity in Senegal by about 17%, while reducing generation costs by about 14%.
• If the savings are passed on to consumers this could result in a 3-7% fall in tariffs and a 1-3% rise in GDP.

Environment

• The plant is expected to help satisfy baseloads, facilitating the integration of intermittent renewable power into the country’s network.
• This type of combined-cycle power plant produces higher output at higher efficiencies (up to 55%) with lower emissions than the older open-cycle plants presently being used. 
• When converted to gas the plant is expected to form part of the evolution of Senegal’s energy mix from diesel (currently about 75% of total generation capacity) to renewables, reducing emissions.

Employment

• About 150 jobs are expected to be created during construction.