Voith, the general contractor for modernization of the 65-MW Nangbeto hydropower plant, has received an order from Communtaute Electrique du Benin (CEB), a Beninese-Togolese joint venture, to carry out extensive rehabilitation and modernization measures at the plant.
Nangbeto has been in operation for 35 years on the Mono River on the border between Benin and Togo. The aim of the work is to secure the plant’s operation for at least another 30 years and to modernize its auxiliary facilities. The contract is worth €22 million.
The order includes refurbishment of the generators, cavitation inspection of the turbines and replacement of the blades, as well as rehabilitation of the cooling system. In addition, the automation and communication infrastructure will be overhauled. A water treatment plant will supply the neighboring communities with fresh water. To ensure smooth operations for the next 30 years, modernization of the supply buildings and the switchyard are also planned.
The work is to be completed by the third quarter of 2022 and will be carried out during operation, meaning that at least one of the two 32.5-MW units will always be connected to the grid.
The construction work on site will be carried out entirely by local companies so that additional jobs can be created in the region during the project period, Voith says in a press release. To enable the employees to better handle the plant after the extensive modernization, CEB takes advantage of Voith’s training offer.
“Nangbeto is currently the only power plant that simultaneously supplies Togo and Benin with renewable energy. We are proud to make this plant fit for the future,” explains Heike Bergmann, senior vice president sales Africa at Voith Hydro. “Overall, the African continent has an enormous untapped hydropower potential. We want to use this potential to sustainably expand the regional power supply.”
The Voith Group is a global technology company working in the markets of energy, oil and gas, paper, raw materials and transport and automotive. The Group Division Voith Hydro is part of the Voith Group and a full-line supplier and partner for equipping hydropower plants.