I.A.M - Magazine - Page 27
SNAPSHOT - IMPACT PROJECTS
US$0.20
Before the interconnection,
Liberia, Sierra Leone, and
Guinea struggled with
extremely poor service
quality and high electricity
costs exceeding US$0.20
per kilowatt-hour.
Other projects to strengthen the WAPP transmission
system are ongoing, financed by the African
Development Bank (AfDB) with other partners. These
include
the
WAPP
North
Core
330
kV
Nigeria-Niger-Benin/Togo - Burkina Faso electrical
interconnection project (900 km) and the 225 kV
Guinea-Mali electrical interconnection project (700 km)
Looking forward, the WAPP Master Plan for 2019-2033
envisions an ambitious expansion comprising of 22,932
kilometres of new transmission lines (at a cost of $10.48
billion) and 15.5 GW of new generation capacity, with
68.9% coming from renewable sources.
With electricity demand projected to grow at 8%
annually for the next decade, these investments come
not a moment too soon.
THE CLSG: A TRANSFORMATIVE CONNECTION
The 225 kV Côte d'Ivoire-Liberia-Sierra Leone-Guinea
(CLSG) transmission Interconnector (1,300 km) with
246 MW transit capacity, exemplifies the transformative
potential of cross-border energy infrastructure. Before
the interconnection, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea
struggled with extremely poor service quality and high
electricity costs exceeding US$0.20 per kilowatt-hour.
The CLSG project, supported by $197 million from the
African Development Bank, has made it possible to
electrify nearly 300 localities in the four countries and
provide access to more than 113,000 households
totaling more than 300,000 people.has fundamentally
changed the situation. Since the commissioning of this
interconnection at the end of 2022, Liberia, Sierra
Leone and Guinea have been importing energy from
Côte d'Ivoire.
Beyond the immediate benefits of reliable, affordable
09
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electricity, the project catalysed institutional innovation
through the creation of TRANSCO-CLSG—West
Africa's first Special Purpose Company managing a
regional transmission project. It is also helping to
establish a dynamic power market that will incentivize
development of the region's substantial 6 GW
hydropower potential.
EASTERN AFRICAN POWER POOL
THE GROWTH ENGINE
The East African Power Pool (EAPP) currently maintains
98 GW of installed capacity with consumption around
390 TWh. Regional demand is projected to increase 1.4
times by 2030 to approximately 545 TWh, requiring
investments approaching $400 billion.
Cross-border electricity trade has exponentially grown
from 280.44 GWh in 2010 to 3,217 GWh in 2024—an
elevenfold increase. EAPP plans to launch its day
ahead market by April 2025, with market design and
trading platform already completed.
The regions infrastructure development has expanded
power interconnection lines from 303 km in 2010 to
2,753 km by 2024. Transmission systems have evolved
from basic 70 kV and 132 kV to include advanced
220-500 kV networks and HVDC lines.
Regional connectivity has transformed from a single
Uganda-Kenya interconnection in 2010 to a network
linking eight countries today. This creates resilience
now, drought-affected areas can access surplus
renewable capacity.
Economic impacts include Kenya's electricity imports
from Ethiopia now constituting 13.4% of national
energy purchases, effectively displacing costly thermal
generation and reducing consumer costs.
Burundi and Rwanda decommissioned diesel
generators. Djibouti's electricity costs decreased by
60% after connecting to Ethiopia's hydropower,
reducing tariffs by 24%. This triggered energy
consumption to surge by 170% (from 372 GWh to 631
GWh) and customer base to expand by 65% (from
42,228 to 69,314 connections).
The environmental benefits continue to grow, with the
second phase of the Ethiopia-Djibouti interconnection
expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by
143-274 ktCO2e annually. The region is also advancing
renewable energy integration, with Djibouti currently
constructing 30 MW of Solar PV with Battery Energy
Storage Systems (BESS) and implementing another 12
MW project, demonstrating the EAPP's commitment to
sustainable development.
CENTRAL AFRICAN POWER POOL
THE SLEEPING GIANT
The story of the Central African Power Pool (CAPP) is
one of untapped potential. Despite possessing
enormous hydroelectric resources capable of
