Overview
The purpose of this project has been to generate zero emissions hydroelectricity from a run-of-river hydroelectric installation on the Senegal River in Mali. The Félou Regional Hydropower Project has delivered clean energy to the interconnected grid in the sub-region including Mali, Mauritania and Senegal.
The project has been sponsored by the governments of Mali, Mauritania, and Senegal, acting through the High Commission of the Organisation pour la Mise en Valeur du Fleuve Sénégal (OMVS), a governmental organization, and subsequently through the Société de Gestion de l'Energie de Manantali (SOGEM). The SOGEM used to be in charge of the operational and technical management of the Félou Project and has later selected a private entity to operate and maintain the project. Total installed capacity of the project has been 63.45 MW consisting of 3 Bulb-type turbines, with a predicted gross power generation of 333.5 GWh per annum. The project development has incorporated the existing weir of an old 600 kW hydroelectric facility, and the turbine and generator associated with the old facility have been removed from service.
The project was expected to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases by an estimated 191,765 t CO2e per year during the first crediting period.
Benefits
The sustainable development benefits of the project include:
- Improved regional air quality and residents’ health by reducing NOX and possibly SO2 emissions;
- Increased local economic activity by increasing potential productive capacity in the Kayes region (approximate population 86,500) of Mali and secondarily better infrastructure for distribution of agricultural and other products in the region;
- Stabilization of the grid in the region and a more reliable supply to the sub-regional grid; this will reduce the number of annual brown and blackouts since the project is in an area with limited power generation;
- Stabilization of the price of electricity in the sub-region, since it will not be dependent on the fluctuations of oil prices (hydroelectricity replaces thermal production from petrol); and
- The creation of a platform for future extension of the electricity grid to communities in the immediate vicinity of the proposed project, thereby allowing for the electrification of homes and businesses, and the promotion of other economic activities, especially those linked to agricultural processing.