Rokhaya Diop Diallo, an official with the African Development Bank (AfDB) who leads the hydro project, recently said work on the Nachtigal hydropower station is more than 80% complete and is expected to begin producing power by the end of this year, with commercial operation beginning in 2024,
The dam is among projects designed to increase power generation capacity in Cameroon, which like other African nations, suffers from a lack of electricity production. The World Bank has said less than 70% of the country’s population of more than 27 million has access to electricity. Officials have said power outages are frequent across the country.
Nachtigal is being developed as part of a public-private partnership. The 420-MW dam, the largest hydro project in the African nation, is expected to supply more than 30% of Cameroon’s electricity once in operation. Construction of the dam, which covers about 4,440 acres, began in 2019. The dam is being built on the Sanaga River. It is about 46 feet high and more than 4,500 feet wide. It will feature seven 60-MW Francis turbines from GE Renewable Energy.
Officials with Nachtigal Hydro Power Co. (NHPC) and the country’s Ministry of Water and Energy have said the hydropower station will be commissioned in phases as more work is completed. Government officials have said the power project represents an investment of about $1.3 billion.