Energy in Senegal
Encyclopedia
Following institutional reform in 1998, Senegal
's electricity
sector was split into three entities: Senelec
, the national utility, the Agency for Rural Electrification (Agence Sénégalaise d'Electrification Rurale, ASER) and the Electricity Regulatory Board (Commission de Régulation au Secteur de l'Electricité, CRSE).
, the sole buyer, signs power purchase contracts with independent power producers (IPPs). The General Electric
/GTI Dakar IPP
, which supplies approximately 20 percent of Senelec’s electrical needs, was commissioned in 1998. It has an installed capacity of 56 MW. On-line since January 2008, the second IPP Kounoune 1 – 67.5 MW - was partially funded by the International Finance Corporation
, with Mitsubishi
and Matelec S.A.L, a division of the Doumet group from Lebanon
, as strategic partners.
Senegal's major source of electricity is mostly diesel and gas, with an installed capacity of 633 MW. Some hydroelectricity
generated from the Manantali Dam
in Mali
is split between Senegal, Mali and Mauritania
. Manantali has an installed capacity of 200 MW dispatched as follows: 52% for Mali, 15% for Mauritania and 33% for Senegal (66 MW).
Senelec is dealing with a chronic production gap, which has worsened due to an increased demand – the average demand increase during 2005-2009 is estimated at 7%, representing an electricity consumption of 1.933 TWh
in 2005 to an estimated 2.66 TWh in 2009. The company is experiencing declining reliability of aging power plants. Senegal's GDP growth was hindered in 2007 by frequent electricity outages, which caused a slowdown of the economic and manufacturing activities. The GDP growth rate decreased to 2.1% in 2006 from 5.5% in 2005. According to local reports, the outages have contributed to the closure of many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the food processing
, textile
and tourism
sectors. Larger companies are reporting declines in output averaging 30%.
technology. The recent bid to build-own and operate a 125 MW coal-fired Sendou power station
was awarded to a consortium of companies headed by the Swedish operator Nykomb Synergetics. In addition, the country has embarked on an aggressive effort to produce significant quantities of biofuel
s, initially to run electricity generation units, and has a pilot project using sugarcane-based ethanol
.
Senegal
Senegal , officially the Republic of Senegal , is a country in western Africa. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north...
's electricity
Electricity
Electricity is a general term encompassing a variety of phenomena resulting from the presence and flow of electric charge. These include many easily recognizable phenomena, such as lightning, static electricity, and the flow of electrical current in an electrical wire...
sector was split into three entities: Senelec
Senelec
Senelec is the national electricity company of Senegal.-History:Senelec was established in 1983 after the nationalization and merger of Électricité du Sénégal and Société sénégalaise de distribution d'électricité...
, the national utility, the Agency for Rural Electrification (Agence Sénégalaise d'Electrification Rurale, ASER) and the Electricity Regulatory Board (Commission de Régulation au Secteur de l'Electricité, CRSE).
Production
Electricity generation, mainly on a Build-Own-Operate (BOO) basis, is open to the private sector, and SenelecSenelec
Senelec is the national electricity company of Senegal.-History:Senelec was established in 1983 after the nationalization and merger of Électricité du Sénégal and Société sénégalaise de distribution d'électricité...
, the sole buyer, signs power purchase contracts with independent power producers (IPPs). The General Electric
General Electric
General Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...
/GTI Dakar IPP
Independent Power Producer
An Independent Power Producer is an entity, which is not a public utility, but which owns facilities to generate electric power for sale to utilities and end users...
, which supplies approximately 20 percent of Senelec’s electrical needs, was commissioned in 1998. It has an installed capacity of 56 MW. On-line since January 2008, the second IPP Kounoune 1 – 67.5 MW - was partially funded by the International Finance Corporation
International Finance Corporation
The International Finance Corporation promotes sustainable private sector investment in developing countries.IFC is a member of the World Bank Group and is headquartered in Washington, D.C., United States....
, with Mitsubishi
Mitsubishi
The Mitsubishi Group , Mitsubishi Group of Companies, or Mitsubishi Companies is a Japanese multinational conglomerate company that consists of a range of autonomous businesses which share the Mitsubishi brand, trademark and legacy...
and Matelec S.A.L, a division of the Doumet group from Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
, as strategic partners.
Senegal's major source of electricity is mostly diesel and gas, with an installed capacity of 633 MW. Some hydroelectricity
Hydroelectricity
Hydroelectricity is the term referring to electricity generated by hydropower; the production of electrical power through the use of the gravitational force of falling or flowing water. It is the most widely used form of renewable energy...
generated from the Manantali Dam
Manantali Dam
The Manantali Dam is a multi-purpose dam on the Bafing river in the Senegal River basin, 90 km to the south-east of Bafoulabé, in Mali's Kayes Region.-History:...
in Mali
Mali
Mali , officially the Republic of Mali , is a landlocked country in Western Africa. Mali borders Algeria on the north, Niger on the east, Burkina Faso and the Côte d'Ivoire on the south, Guinea on the south-west, and Senegal and Mauritania on the west. Its size is just over 1,240,000 km² with...
is split between Senegal, Mali and Mauritania
Mauritania
Mauritania is a country in the Maghreb and West Africa. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean in the west, by Western Sahara in the north, by Algeria in the northeast, by Mali in the east and southeast, and by Senegal in the southwest...
. Manantali has an installed capacity of 200 MW dispatched as follows: 52% for Mali, 15% for Mauritania and 33% for Senegal (66 MW).
Senelec is dealing with a chronic production gap, which has worsened due to an increased demand – the average demand increase during 2005-2009 is estimated at 7%, representing an electricity consumption of 1.933 TWh
TWH
TWH or twh could refer to:*Tennessee Walking Horse, a breed of horse* Toronto Western Hospital, a hospital in Toronto, Canada* TWH Bus & Coach, a bus company in Romford, England* Terrawatt-hour, measure of electrical energy, 1012 watt-hours...
in 2005 to an estimated 2.66 TWh in 2009. The company is experiencing declining reliability of aging power plants. Senegal's GDP growth was hindered in 2007 by frequent electricity outages, which caused a slowdown of the economic and manufacturing activities. The GDP growth rate decreased to 2.1% in 2006 from 5.5% in 2005. According to local reports, the outages have contributed to the closure of many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the food processing
Food processing
Food processing is the set of methods and techniques used to transform raw ingredients into food or to transform food into other forms for consumption by humans or animals either in the home or by the food processing industry...
, textile
Textile
A textile or cloth is a flexible woven material consisting of a network of natural or artificial fibres often referred to as thread or yarn. Yarn is produced by spinning raw fibres of wool, flax, cotton, or other material to produce long strands...
and tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
sectors. Larger companies are reporting declines in output averaging 30%.
Future development
Senegal is committed to shifting from a diesel-based power generation to cheaper energy sources. Senegal has thus put an option on the coalCoal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
technology. The recent bid to build-own and operate a 125 MW coal-fired Sendou power station
Sendou power station
The Sendou power station is a planned coal-fired power station in Senegal.-History:The international tender was launched on 18 November 2005. The agreement between the Minister of Energy of Senegal and the Director General of Senelec on one side and Nykomb Synergetics on other side was signed on...
was awarded to a consortium of companies headed by the Swedish operator Nykomb Synergetics. In addition, the country has embarked on an aggressive effort to produce significant quantities of biofuel
Biofuel
Biofuel is a type of fuel whose energy is derived from biological carbon fixation. Biofuels include fuels derived from biomass conversion, as well as solid biomass, liquid fuels and various biogases...
s, initially to run electricity generation units, and has a pilot project using sugarcane-based ethanol
Ethanol
Ethanol, also called ethyl alcohol, pure alcohol, grain alcohol, or drinking alcohol, is a volatile, flammable, colorless liquid. It is a psychoactive drug and one of the oldest recreational drugs. Best known as the type of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages, it is also used in thermometers, as a...
.