I.A.M - Magazine - Page 28
A view of the Tangier Wind
Farm in Morocco wind which
was funded by the African
Development Bank Group.
generating 650 TWh annually, CAPP remains Africa's
weakest power pool, with just 11.5 GW of installed
capacity and an average electrification rate of only
26.8%.
The minimal level of current integration is revealed by a
sobering statistic: in 2019, only 0.2% of electricity
generated in the region was traded via bilateral
agreements. This represents both a challenge and an
enormous opportunity for future development. Since
2017, the African Development Bank (AfDB) is working
to establish the first interconnector in the region
between Cameroon and Chad. The first step has been
to fund the full feasibility studies; for the second one,
AfDB mobilized several partners for the cofinancing of
the High Voltage transmission line. The implementation
of that project is ongoing.
NORTH AFRICAN POWER POOL
THE BRIDGE TO EUROPE
Though not yet formally established as a power pool,
North Africa's electricity systems have achieved
universal access to electricity (except in Mauritania) and
are physically well-interconnected through a series of
high-voltage transmission lines linking Morocco,
Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, and Egypt. An MOU has been
recently signed for an interconnector between Morocco
and Mauritania. This project will help to bridge the North
African region to the West African region and increase
power trade.
The AfDB financed Mali-Mauritania Transmission
Project represents a breakthrough initiative bringing
electricity and opportunity to a region that has long
suffered from energy poverty. This key project under
the Desert to Power initiative will build a
1,500-kilometer high-voltage connection between the
two nations while developing 100 MW of solar capacity
and connecting a total of 100,000 households in both
countries. This strategic cross-border infrastructure
exemplifies regional energy cooperation, enhancing
energy security and sustainable development by
optimizing renewable resource utilization. The
interconnector will reduce electricity costs while
contributing to climate action through fossil fuel
displacement, supporting economic growth in a region
traditionally challenged by limited electricity access.
Uniquely positioned, the region maintains connections
to Europe via two 400kV submarine cables between
Morocco and Spain—serving as a conduit between
African renewable energy and European markets.
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