Kpep hydropower project in Cameroon is set to receive US $US $500,000 grant from the Private Infrastructure Development Group’s (PIDG) Technical Assistance Facility (TAF) to aid in financing the final stage of feasibility studies, including part of the Environmental & Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) of the project.
The grant was issued to Joule Africa a member of the U.S.-based Joule Investments Group developing renewable energy projects in Africa. In 2017, The firm signed a Letter of Intent with the Government of Cameroon to take the Kpep Hydropower project to the next stage in its development. and has since been identified as a priority power project for the country by the Government.
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Kpep hydropower project
Kpep hydropower project, is located on the Katsina-Ala River near the Nigerian border in the Northwest Region of Cameroon. The project is a storage reservoir scheme that has been optimized for firm energy/dry season production and will link into the Southern Interconnected Grid (one of three independent transport and distribution networks operated by Eneo Cameroun S.A.), providing electricity access on a national scale.
The 283MW Hydropower project upon completion is projected to increase Cameroon’s power generation capacity by 40%. Additionally the project will boost economic development, and create jobs as well
“We are also embarking on negotiations with the Government to agree Heads of Terms for a Power Purchase Agreement,” said Mark Green, Co-Founder of Joule Africa who expressed gratitude over the funds.
Demand for electricity in Cameroon is projected to triple over the coming decade. This is according to the Minister of Water Resources and Energy, Dr. Basile Atangana Kouna who said the country will require at least an estimated 3 GW of additional energy infrastructure by 2020.
