(Business in Cameroon) – On September 19, 2024, Gaston Eloundou Essomba, Cameroon’s Minister of Water and Energy, visited the Nachtigal Dam site, located in the Center Region. This energy infrastructure, with a total capacity of 420 MW, is nearing completion.
During his visit, Minister Eloundou Essomba announced that the third unit of the dam has been brought online. This brings the total power being injected into the grid to 180 MW. The goal is to start up one additional unit each month. The fourth unit is expected to be operational by the end of October 2024. By the end of January 2025, all seven units are anticipated to be in operation.
The next step, according to the minister, is to ensure the availability of the transportation infrastructure. He emphasized the importance of synchronizing the transportation lines to evacuate the energy produced at Nachtigal in real time, which will help reduce current issues caused by production deficits and inadequate transport infrastructure.
Under the agreement between the Cameroonian government and NHPC, the company managing the Nachtigal project, a monthly payment of CFA10 billion will be required as soon as the full 420 MW capacity is available. This payment is required whether or not the energy is evacuated and consumed. Therefore, it is crucial to prepare the associated transport infrastructure to ensure effective energy consumption and generate revenue to cover NHPC’s invoices.
With a total investment of CFA786 billion, the Nachtigal Dam is Cameroon’s largest power generation facility. Its 420 MW capacity will boost the country’s power production by 30% in one go. This infrastructure will also increase the share of hydroelectric power in the national energy mix, leading to significant savings on fuel for thermal power plants scattered across the country.
In addition, Nachtigal will position Cameroon as a leader in energy export in Central Africa. Through the Cameroon-Chad Electrical Interconnection Project (Pirect), Cameroon is set to supply 100 MW of electricity to Chad by 2027.
