Savannah Energy PLC has signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA), through Savannah Energy RCM Limited, with the Government of the Republic of Cameroon for the development of the Bini a Warak Hydroelectric Project in the northern Adamawa Region of Cameroon.
The 75 MW Bini project is expected to provide clean, stable and affordable power to Cameroon’s northern region. This is anticipated to support local electricity demand and enable a number of energy-intensive industrial projects in the region, principally in the cement and metallurgy industries. The Bini project is expected to increase on-grid electricity generation capacity in northern Cameroon by over 50%.
There is also the potential for power to be dispatched into Cameroon’s southern electricity grid, upon completion of the World Bank-financed interconnection, of the northern and southern electricity networks planned by the government for 2026.
The Bini project involves the construction of a dam on the Bini River, together with an 82 km2 reservoir and associated tunnels, powerhouses, substations and a 225-kV transmission line connecting the project to Cameroon’s northern electricity grid. It is intended to be developed on an independent power project basis with project sanction expected in 2024 and first power targeted in the 2027 to 2028 window, according to a release.
The signing ceremony was attended by His Excellency Gaston Eloundou Essomba, Minister of Water and Energy for Cameroon; His Excellency Dr Christian Dennys-McClure, British High Commissioner to Cameroon; and Andrew Knott, chief executive officer of Savannah.
Under the terms of the MOA, Savannah plans to supplement existing feasibility studies and work with power industry authorities and development finance institutions to finalize the development, financing and resumption of construction of the Bini project.
Savannah expects to fund the Bini project from a combination of its own internally generated cashflows and project-specific debt.
“The Government is delighted to partner with Savannah Energy in order to deliver clean and affordable electricity to support our industrialization plans for northern Cameroon,” said Essomba. “The Bini project will address the current electricity shortages caused by the hydrology deficit of the Ladgo Dam and reduce the consequent reliance on expensive thermal generated power in the region. Our partnership with Savannah is in line with our long-term “Vision 2035” Master Plan for increasing the electrification in the country and the National Strategy for Development 2020-2030. As a government, we will provide all the support needed to enable Savannah to deliver first power from this exciting project in the 2027 to 2028 window.”
Savannah Energy PLC is a British independent energy company focused around the delivery of Projects and is active in Cameroon, Niger and Nigeria.
