The proposed wind farm project, Parc Eolien de la Tarka, will be built in the Tahoua Region of southern Niger, featuring up to 60 wind turbines
The project is anticipated feature up to 60 wind turbines.(Credit: Markus Distelrath from Pixabay)
Savannah Energy has signed an agreement with the Niger Government to build and operate a 250MW wind farm in the country.
The project is said to become the country’s first wind farm, after its completion.
The UK-based energy company has signed the deal with the Republic of Niger’s Ministry of Petroleum, Energy and Renewable Energies, for construction and operation of the project.
The proposed wind farm project, dubbed Parc Eolien de la Tarka, will be built on an independent power producer (IPP) basis in the Tahoua Region of southern Niger.
Owned by the company’s subsidiary Savannah Parc Eolien de la Tarka (SPET), the project is anticipated feature up to 60 wind turbines.
The Parc Eolien de la Tarka project is expected to be commissioned in 2023, with the first power generation is anticipated in 2025.
Savannah Energy CEO Andrew Knott said: “Savannah is passionately focused around delivering Projects that Matter in Africa. Parc Eolien de la Tarka is a prime example of our vision in action.
The independent studies conducted to date indicate the Tahoua region of Niger to have a world class wind resource. The Project is expected to harness this resource and generate highly competitive, clean, indigenous power for Niger.
“Parc Eolien de la Tarka is therefore a critical project for the development of Niger, which we expect to make a significant contribution to improving the lives of its people.”
In the initial phase of the project, SPET is expected to carry out a 24-month feasibility study.
The study will evaluate the wind conditions in the region, and explore the ways to incorporate the generated power into the national and regional electricity grids.
The project is expected to benefit from the West African Power Pool (WAPP), a high voltage interconnection network that enables power exchange and grid stability.
Niger will be connected to the WAPP next year, through a 330kV transmission line.
The new wind farm is said to create more than 500 jobs during construction and produce up to 600GWh of electricity, and eliminate 400,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions per annum.
The UK energy company is planning to fund the project from its own cashflows and project specific debt.
Knott added: “I would like to thank the Government of Niger, and Minister Sani Mahamadou in particular, and the iger National Utility Company, NIGELEC, for the strong support we have received in bringing our vision of the Parc Eolien de la Tarka to life.
“We look forward to working with the Government and our developmental finance partners over the course of the coming years as we move through the feasibility and construction phases of the project to our intended first wind date in 2025.
“Parc Eolien de la Tarka represents the first of several large scale greenfield renewable energy projects that Savannah expects to announce over the course of the next 12 months.”