Background

The region around the city of Franceville – the third-most important economic region in the central African state of Gabon – owes its prosperity largely to manganese mining. But extracting this raw material requires a sufficient and, above all, stable supply of electricity. Now that production of manganese is to be increased to up to three million tonnes a year, the existing power stations are unable to guarantee sufficient power supply. A new 160MW hydropower station is to close this gap in supply.

Project

Together with Chinese construction company Sinohydro Corporation, Grand Poubara hydropower station is to be built upstream of the Poubara waterfalls on the Ogooué River. Damming the river to a height of almost 26 meters above mean river level will create the preconditions required to achieve the high capacity needed for the hydropower station. Grand Poubara is to house four Francis turbines with a generating capacity of 40MW each.

Services

Verification of the studies presented by the Chinese general contractor

Basic planning and planning documents

Mediation and securing financing

Environmental surveys

Construction management