The Government of Madagascar has received approval for a 4.02 million euro loan from the African Development Fund for the execution of Sahofika hydropower project.
The loan which comes with a grant component of 30 million euro equity investment in the hydropower project is expected to generate affordable, clean energy benefitting some 8 million people.
The African Development Bank in a statement said the power project entails the construction of a 205 MW hydroelectric power plant on a Build-Own-Operate-Transfer basis and includes the construction and rehabilitation of 110 km of access roads and construction of a 75km, 220kV transmission line.
The Sahofika hydropower, the largest hydro power project in the country, once commissioned, Sahofika hydropower is expected to contribute to the avoidance of 900,000 tons of CO2 equivalent annually.
According to the statement, the government has committed to plough back the returns from the project to reduce electricity tariffs for the people of Madagascar.
It hinted that additional funding for the project is expected to come from the European Union and the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa.
“The support to the Sahofika project exemplifies the Bank’s commitment to delivering quality, affordable energy access across the continent for sustainable and inclusive growth, while helping member countries to responsibly harness their vast, yet underdeveloped renewable energy resources.
“As the largest hydro power project under development in the country, the Sahofika project will unlock Madagascar’s hydropower potential, and diversify its energy mix in favour of renewable at 90%”, the Bank’s Vice-President for Power, Energy, Climate Change & Green Growth, Dr. Kevin Kariuki said.
In December 2019, acting as Mandated Lead Arranger, the Bank approved a Partial Risk Guarantee of $100 million towards the Sahofika project to mitigate liquidity risk. The Bank is also supporting the Power Transmission Network Reinforcement and Interconnection Project, aimed at reinforcing and expanding Madagascar’s transmission network in order to evacuate the additional power generated by this large hydro project.
“The Sahofika project is a cornerstone of the Bank’s strong support to the power sector in Madagascar. The commissioning of Sahofika would enable national utility (JIRAMA) to save around 100 million euros annually in fuel costs, while phasing out the need for state subsidies,” the Bank’s Country Manager for Madagascar, Mohamed Cherif said.
According to AfDB, the Sahofika project is aligned with the its New Deal on Energy for Africa, and the Bank’s Climate Change Action Plan, whose collective goals include expanding green energy infrastructure for sustainable and inclusive growth. It is also in line with the Government of Madagascar’s energy policy.
The African Development Fund (ADF) is the concessional financing window of the Bank Group that provides low-income Regional Member Countries (RMCs) with concessional loans and grants in support of projects that spur poverty reduction.
Peace Obi
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