Local news Africa
22/04/2024: Senegal, the Sambangalou hydropower project is moving forward
The main features of the Sambangalou hydropower project on the Gambia River (Senegal) are a 108 m high dam with a 4 billion m³ water reservoir and an installed capacity of 128 MW. The project, set to enhance energy accessibility and sustainability in West Africa, is located in the southeast of the country, about 800 km from Dakar in the Kédougou region, directly on the border with Guinea.
ANDRITZ, as part of a consortium with VINCI Construction, has been awarded the contract to supply the electromechanical equipment for the new Sambangalou dam in 2022. The contract comprises a comprehensive "from water-to-wire" solution, including the installation of three state-of-the-art Francis turbines, generators and ancillary equipment.
The project will generate electricity for the four countries of the Gambia River Basin Development Organisation (OMVG). The distribution infrastructure for the power grid of the four OMVG countries (The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau and Senegal) consists of 1,677 km of 225 kV high-voltage transmission lines, 15 substations and a distribution center.
Despite initial challenges, including logistical hurdles and commercial complexity, ANDRITZ was able to quickly set up its own local production of penstocks and bottom outlet pipes. Thanks to the highly motivated team on site and in the back office, the slab for the production hall was designed and cast, a huge hall was erected and two gantry cranes from a previous project were adapted to the needs of this production site. Since the beginning of March 2024, the pipe elements for this project have been manufactured close to the construction site. Within four months, all the pipes will be bent, welded, and recalibrated to allow the bending machine to be demobilised again soon. The goal is to have all pipe segments completed and ready for installation within 10 months from the start.
The importance of the Sambangalou hydropower project goes beyond electricity generation and includes other socio-economic benefits for the region. In addition to providing electricity to households and businesses, the project promises to facilitate agricultural irrigation, improve food security, and provide access to clean drinking water for neighboring districts.
The project continues to take shape. Sambangalou hydropower plant is a lighthouse project for a brighter, greener future in Senegal and the whole region. ANDRITZ is proud to be part of this important undertaking.
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06/12/2023: HPP Jebba, Nigeria – Unit 2G6 hand over and global ANDRITZ Site Safety Award
The Jebba hydroelectric power plant is located in Niger State, north-central part of Nigeria and was originally commissioned in 1985. Situated 100 km downstream of the Kainji hydroelectric power plant, it is equipped with six fixed-blade Kaplan turbines with a total installed capacity of 578,4 MW.
The rehabilitation works for the first unit, unit 2G6, at HPP Jebba were successfully completed and the unit was handed over to the customer, Mainstream Energy Solutions Limited for commercial operation on 31st of October 2023.
The ANDRITZ project scope comprises the rehabilitation of two units, 96,4 MW capacity each, including design, manufacturing, installation, and commissioning of the generator, turbine components, gates, switchgears, mechanical and electrical balance of plant as well as the automation, control, protection and excitation systems. The general objective of the rehabilitation program is an extension of the equipment service life for the next 40 years.
In recognition of the excellent safety performance of the ANDRITZ site team with an accident-free period comprising 319 000 manhours of work at site without any lost time accident, the whole site team has received the ANDRITZ Site Safety Award. Mr. Anton Schindele, Vice President Service & Rehab Austria, handed over the award in presence of our customer to the Jebba project team.
Congratulation to Otmar Nager, Site Manager; Samee Abdul Raheem, Deputy Site Manager; Okwor Kingsley, Safety Representative; Gilbert Osajie, for Quality Control; Davies Drisu, Site Administration; Josef Binder, Hans Peter Glaser, Nenad Mudric, Raimund Muhri, Hannes Ortner, Roberto Wanger, Emanuel Okyere, Fiagbor Foster, Slamet Santoso, Supervisors; as well as the active participation of our excellent site staff.
We congratulate the ANDRITZ installation team of Jebba to this achievement!
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30/11/2023: Rwanda, Rusumo Falls - First synchronization of Unit No. 1
After successful penstock filling in July 2023, our installation and commissioning team successfully performed in October 2023 all commissioning tests of Unit No.1 at the Regional Rusumo Falls Hydroelectric Project. Finally, ANDRITZ received Unit No. 1 Completion Certificate by October 17th 2023.
The project is situated at Rusumo Falls, positioned along the shared boundary of the Kagera River between Rwanda on the left bank and Tanzania on the right bank. This marks a significant achievement in the project, as the facility will begin supplying energy to the national grids of the three participating countries.
Additionally, this development underscores...
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25/09/2023: Angola – Largest hydropower plant now fully completed
With a capacity of more than 2 GW, Laúca is the largest hydroelectric power plant in Angola and the second biggest hydroelectric power facility in Africa.
Located nearly 300 km away from the capital city Luanda, the construction of the dam created a reservoir with an area of nearly 200 km² holding about 5.5 billion m³ of water.
Nearly a decade in development, construction on the Laúca hydropower plant started in July 2013. At the beginning of 2014, ANDRITZ was contracted to supply the complete electro-mechanical equipment of both powerhouses, the transformers, and the additional components for the switchyard.
The main powerhouse is over...
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15/09/2023: ANDRITZ at the FACIM International Fair in Maputo, Mozambique
To present ANDRITZ as one of the key players in the Mozambican hydro market, ANDRITZ Germany participated at the International Fair in Maputo, Mozambique which took place from August 28th until September 3rd ,2023.
The exhibition of selected German companies had been organized by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action. The exhibition committee awarded the German pavilion, which included the ANDRITZ booth, as the best pavilion at FACIM 2023.
The trade show was attended by the........
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31/05/2023: Business Forum ANGOLA
Berlin - With a high-level delegation led by the Minister of Economy and Planning, Mr. Mário Augusto Caetano João, the forum proved to be a very interesting event.
19/10/2022: Tedzani III, Malawi - FAC Signing Ceremony in Blantyre
On the 28th Sept 2022, EGENCO‘s CEO, Mr. William Liabunya together with Walter Schwarz, Project Manager of ANDRITZ Hydro have signed the Final Acceptance Certificates (FAC) for the modernization and uprating of the two units of the Tedzani III Power Station.
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19/08 2022: ANDRITZ at FILDA in Luanda, Angola
The 37th edition of the Luanda International Trade Fair FILDA (Feira internacional de Luanda) - the biggest industrial event in Angola - took place at Zona Economica Especial in Catete from July 16th to 20th,2022.
The presence of more than 600 national and foreign exhibitors from 15 countries such as Portugal, Germany, South Africa, Italy, and Spain showed the high interest of the economy in this event.
ANDRITZ participated at FILDA as part of a joint company booth of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy and was honored by the visit of the German Ambassador Stefan Traumann.
This year’s highlight was a special session dedicated to young entrepreneurs who play a relevant role in the process of diversifying the economy, promoting innovation and human, organizational and technological development in Angola.
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09/05 2022: Nyamwamba 2, Uganda - Commissioning successfully completed.
Both turbine- generator sets of Nyamwamba II have been commissioned and the project has been successfully completed.
The project site is located immediately upstream of the existing Nyamwamba I hydropower station on the Nyamwamba River in Kasese District, Western Uganda.
In November 2019 ANDRITZ Hydro signed a new contract for the supply of a complete "From water-to-wire" package. The scope of contract for ANDRITZ comprised design, manufacturing, and supply of two Francis turbine-generator sets in a “From water-to-wire” package including local installation supervision and commissioning services.
Despite being heavily impacted by the Covid pandemic, the installation and commissioning work for Nyamwamba II project could be successfully completed to the full satisfaction of the client.
After the project Nkusi, which was completed four years back, this is the second reference for the small hydro business of ANDRITZ in this African country. Nyamwamba II will contribute with another 33,5 GWh to the annual renewable energy production of Uganda.
Technical details:
Total output: 8 MW
Scope: 2 x 4 MW
Head: 149,5 m
Speed: 1.000 rpm
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January 2021: ANDRITZ to modernize the Jebba hydropower plant in Nigeria
International technology group ANDRITZ has received an order from Mainstream Energy Solutions Limited for the modernization of one generation unit at Jebba hydroelectric power plant on the Niger River.
Mainstream Energy Solutions Limited is a privately owned power generating company in Nigeria incorporated in 2011 and licensed to operate the Kainji and Jebba Hydroelectric Power Plants through a concession agreement with the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Read more in the press release