The Islamic Republic of Mauritania

Construction of a Solar Power Station in Nouakchott and the Modernization of the Electrical System
Loan No: 610 Interest Rate: 2.5 %
Beneficiary: SOMELEC Grace Period: 7 years
Project Cost: KD 47.6 million Maturity: 25 years
Amount of Loan: KD 30.0 million Repayment: 37 semi-annual installments
Date of Board Approval: 2014-06-24 First Installment: 7 years following the first disbursement
Date of Loan Agreement: 2014-06-24 Date of Loan Effectiveness: -

Objectives:

The project aims at meeting the increasing demand for power and energy in the city of Nouakchott and its suburbs without using fossil fuel, controlling the electrical grid, and supplying small towns and villages in eastern Mauritania with electricity.

Description:

The project, which is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2017, includes the construction of a solar power generating station, a control center to supervise the operation of the electrical generation, transmission and distribution systems, a generation and distribution system for the eastern areas of Mauritania, and the provision of necessary consultancy services and institutional support. The project includes the following main components:

  1. Solar Power Generating Station in Nouakchott: This includes the construction of a 30 MW solar power generating station east of Nouakchott, and its connection to the transmission network. The works include the supply and installation of solar panels, collectors of DC current, current inverters, step up transformers, circuit breakers and cables inside the station, the construction of a 33 kV line to connect the solar station to the eastern substation, along with the necessary civil works.
  2. Network Control Center: This includes the construction of a center to control the existing and future power generating stations, the entire 225 kV and 33 kV transmission network, and a small portion of the 15 kV distribution network, in the city of Nouakchott.
  3. Generation and Distribution System for the Eastern Areas: This includes the supply and installation of two hybrid power generating stations in the cities of Al-Ne’ma and Adel-Bagrou, each made up of a thermal section and a solar section, and the construction of a 33 kV, 15 kV and 0.4 kV distribution system to supply small towns and villages located in five governorates in the eastern areas of Mauritania.
  4. Consultancy Services: This includes providing consultancy services necessary to assist SOMELEC in the preparation of tender documents, contractual procedures, review of design drawings, project supervision, equipment witness testing and project acceptance.
  5. Institutional Support: This includes training of SOMELEC employees, conducting studies, the acquisition, delivery and installation of computers, systems and printers, along with the acquisition of fault-finding equipment.

Financing:

The Arab Fund’s loan covers about 63% of the total project cost. It is expected that the OPEC Fund for International Development will contribute to the financing of the project with a loan for an amount equivalent to about KD 2.8 million (around 6%). The Mauritanian Government will cover the remaining cost of the project and any additional cost that may arise.