The board of directors of the Banque Ouest Africaine de Développement (West African Development Bank, BOAD), an international Multilateral Development Bank established to serve the nations of Francophone and Lusophone West Africa, approved in an ordinary meeting session a loan proposal of close to US$ 26M for the implementation of the Kourouba mini-hydro electric power project in Mali.
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According to the bank, this is a “partial financing” of the project, which will be developed on the Sankarani River, a tributary of the Niger River in the region of Koulikoro, approximately 90 km from Bamako, the capital city of the West African Country.
Scope of the Kourouba Mini-Hydro Electric Power Project
The Kourouba Mini-Hydro Electric Power Project involves the construction of a 3.9 MW mini-hydro power station with 12 “Very Low Head” type turbines on the Kourouba weir, the construction of associated 33 kV power transmission lines that will evacuate and inject the electricity generated by the power plant into the network of Energie du Mali (EDM).
EDM is the Malian company responsible for the production, transportation, and distribution of energy and water in the West African country.
The Kourouba Mini-Hydro Electric Power Project also involves the electrification of the towns of Kourouba, Gouala, and Tiakadougou Faraba, all of which are situated in the Koulikoro Region of south-western Mali.
The project will reportedly provide electricity to approximately 20,000 people that were initially not connected to the grid.
