The upgrade of the Kossodo plant was stipulated by SONABEL, Burkina Faso’s national energy supplier, whereby the local company Tecmon BF is acting as main contractor. The company’s UK branch Tecmon Projects Ltd is now building up a solid group of EPC companies with a view to build and upgrade power plants and transmission lines across Africa.
Ending power shortages
Currently, only 30% of Burkina Faso’s population has access to electrical energy. The government now wants to change this and is planning to significantly increase generation capacity in the next years in an effort to end recurring power shortages and brownouts.
In Kossodo, the customer is currently relying on three MAN 18V51/60TS engines with two-stage turbocharging.
Gensets of this design have both a low- and a high-pressure compressor, which operate in series to deliver an increase in power density and efficiency. This simultaneously guarantees maximum fuel efficiency and a more compact system design.
Enhancing efficiency
Waldemar Wiesner, MAN’s power plant sales manager for region MEA (Middle-East Africa) is convinced that not only the reliability of the company’s engines, but also its high service quality was decisive for winning this order.
“SONABEL has chosen an innovative engine setup for the power plant in Kossodo, making it, by far the most efficient power plant in the country and clearly meeting the emission guidelines of the World Bank,” he said, adding: “As soon as the Kossodo power plant is extended, nearly 50% of Burkina Faso’s installed capacity will be based on MAN technology.”
The upgraded plant will also be by far the most efficient power plant in the country and clearly meet the emission guidelines of the World Bank.
SONABEL has relied on power plant engines from MAN since 1978. In total, the German OEM supplied power gen technology for five plants – all of still in operation.