(Business in Cameroon) - The Nachtigal dam, under construction in the Central region, will be filled with water for the first time on July 18, 2023, reliable sources reveal. This will mark a significant milestone for the project led by Nachtigal Hydro Power Company (NHPC). Experts explain that this operation involves filling the reservoir of the dam. "Water will come into contact with the infrastructures for the first time, and we will witness the formation of the reservoir," explains a source involved in this 420MW hydroelectric project.

The successful completion of this operation is a decisive step towards the production of the first 60 megawatts (MW) of electricity, which is scheduled to be injected into the Southern Interconnected Grid (RIS) in December 2023. In September 2021, six months ahead of the contractual deadline,  the transmission lines that will transport that energy were completed.

According to NHPC, the six additional turbines (60MW each) will be gradually installed until full commissioning, which is scheduled for 2024. Once fully operational, the Nachtigal Dam alone will increase Cameroon's current capacity by 30%.

Furthermore, this investment, XAF786 billion, will boost the contribution of hydroelectric power to the country's energy mix, resulting in substantial savings on fuel used to run the backup thermal power plants installed throughout the national territory.

BRM