Energy Minister promises better electricity as Nachtigal Dam nears completion

The Minister of Water and Energy, Gaston Eloundou Essomba, expressed optimism about the impending improvement in both quantity and quality of electricity in Cameroon as the country’s largest dam nears completion.

The Nachtigal Dam, set to contribute an additional 420MW of electricity to Cameroon, stands as the most significant electrical infrastructure in the nation and will serve 30% of the country’s energy needs.

In a recent visit to the construction site at Batchenga, Minister Essomba disclosed that the dam’s construction has reached 92% completion.

“The execution is about 92%. The first machine is ready. We will start it before the end of this year and commissioning will follow in the next few days,” he said in a press interview.

“So we are sure that with this additional production, Cameroon will have a good quantity and a good quality of electricity.”

The Nachtigal Dam project, with a total cost of 1.2 billion Euros, commenced in 2018.

Located in the Mbam-et-Kim Division in the Center Region, the dam aims to address energy deficits in the country, characterized by frequent power cuts, low voltage, and inadequate electricity supply in some areas.

In May, while evaluating the progress of works on the dam, the head of the Nachtigal hydroelectric project at the African Development Bank (AfDB), Rokhaya Diop Diallo, said some of the turbines will be turned on this December.

“In the civil works package, work on the main dam is nearing completion. The implementation of the roller-compacted concrete was completed one month ago, on 29 March,” he said.

“As regards the electromechanical package, a new step was taken on 10 February with the installation of the upper crosspiece in the generator shaft of unit 1. These two important steps bring the project partners closer to the objective of impounding the dam in July 2023, for commissioning of the first unit at the end of 2023.”

The official opening of one of the dam’s 60MW turbines, a 225KV power station, and the outgoing power line connecting Nachtigal and Nyom II will take place a few weeks from now.

The Nachtigal hydroelectric dam, constructed on the Sanaga River, measures 14 meters high and 1,380 meters wide.

It is equipped with a power station housing six turbines of 60 MW each, with a combined capacity of 420 MW.

Upon its full commissioning in 2024, Nachtigal is poised to be Cameroon’s largest hydroelectric scheme, capable of supplying 30% of the nation’s electricity needs.

Mimi Mefo Info