By Nneka Nwogwugwu
Four countries under the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) are gearing up to begin cross-border electrification through the initiation of hydroelectric projects.
According to the ECCAS, the proposed Booué and Tsengué-Lélédi hydropower plants aim to ensure increased availability of electricity through cross-border electrification for the benefit of the four countries involved i.e. Cameroon, Congo, Gabon, and Equatorial Guinea.
Plans for the proposed Booué and Tséngué-Lélédi hydroelectric projects whose sites are located in the province of Ogooué Ivindo, central Gabon, are making considerable progress following the completion, examination, and validation of the projects Detailed Pre-Project Studies (PDA), Environmental and Social Impact (ESIA) studies as well as the Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP).
The examination and validation of the said studies were carried out in a video conference chaired by Honoré Sayi, the Congolese Minister of Energy and Hydraulics, on behalf of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), PRnews reports.
“These projects,” notes the ECCAS, “are the regional flagship of the Central African region and they will not only strengthen regional cooperation and integration but also build an important link in the infrastructure of the interconnected electricity network in the region.”
The Commissioner for Territorial Planning and Infrastructures of the ECCAS, says that approximately 60% of the hydroelectric potential of the African continent is held by the ECCAS region but unfortunately, more than 60% of the ECCAS region population does not have access to electricity.