Wärtsilä to develop and maintain major 120MW power plant project in Gabon

The technology group Wärtsilä and Gabon Power Company (GPC), the subsidiary of the Sovereign Fund of the Gabonese Republic (FGIS) dedicated to energy and water, have signed a concession agreement with the Government of Gabon for the development, supply, construction, operation and maintenance of a 120 MW gas power plant

The plant will be located at the industrial site of Owendo, close to Libreville. When commissioned, the plant will supply electricity to Société d’Energie et d’Eau du Gabon (SEEG), the Gabonese utility, under a 15-year power purchase agreement. The project represents one of the largest of its kind in sub-Sahara Africa and a sizeable energy infrastructure project for Gabon.

Wärtsilä will build the plant under a full engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contract and will then operate and maintain the plant under a long-term 15-year operation and maintenance (O&M) agreement. The EPC contract and the O&M agreement will be signed in 2022 with Orinko S.A., the joint venture between Wärtsilä and GPC.

Marcelin Massila Akendengue, general director, Gabon Power Company, commented, “There is currently a structural deficit between the supply capability and the demand for electricity, which is increasing year by year. This project will play an important role in bridging this deficit, and some 600,000 people will ultimately benefit from a more sustainable and economical electricity supply delivered to SEEG. The plant will replace rented generation assets by SEEG and bring significant benefits, in line with Gabon sustainability ambitions.”

Nicolas Mathon, director, Project Development, Africa and Europe, Wärtsilä Energy and managing director, Orinko S.A., added, “This is a major and very comprehensive project that will deliver sustainable energy at a competitive price. It highlights many of Wärtsilä’s strengths, including the efficiency and flexibility of our generating sets, our EPC capabilities, our project development skills with insight into the financing arrangements, and our lifecycle support through long-term O&M agreements. The project also emphasises the leadership role that Wärtsilä plays in moving the industry towards a decarbonised future by delivering solutions that enable a transition to renewable energy.”