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The Cap des Biches project is a 300-megawatt gas-fired combined cycle power plant under construction in Dakar, Senegal.

The project, which is located on a 9.923 hectares site in the Rufisque commune, 20 kilometres from Dakar, is being developed by West African Energy and Société Nationale d’Electricité du Sénégal (Senelec).

West African Energy is a Senegalese energy and petroleum products company. Société Nationale d’Electricité du Sénégal (Senelec) is Senegal’s national electricity utility company.

West African Energy awarded the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contract to Çalık Enerji in October 2020.

General Electric (GE) was selected in January 2021 to manufacture and supply the turbines and generators for the project, along with other auxiliary equipment. Bureau Veritas was appointed to undertake technical control work and ensure the structural integrity and safety of the plant under construction.

Swedish engineering design, and advisory services firm, Afry, was appointed the owner’s engineer. Canadian law firm, Fasken, was selected to provide advisory services to project sponsors for the project’s development, financing, construction, operation, and maintenance.

The project has an estimated investment value of US$348.9 million, with finance expected to be provided by African Finance Corporation (AFC), Coris Bank International, and other financial institutions, including Afrexim Bank, a pan-African multilateral trade finance institution. 

Construction started in March 2021, and the project is expected to come into operation in phases starting in 2022, with completion scheduled for 2023. On completion, the total output capacity will be 2.39 tera-watt hours (TWh) of electricity per year. 

General Electric will supply the plant's two E.03 gas turbines, one STF-A200 steam turbine, and three A39 generators. There will be two heat recovery steam generators (HRSG) and associated balance of plant (BOP) equipment.

Other components include a steam condensation system, stacks, three 11.5/90kV step-up transformers with a capacity of 147 megavolt amperes (MVA) each, accessories for connection to 90kV busbars, and a gas insulated substation (GIS).

There will be two delivery stations for natural gas, 3,000 cubic metres capacity heavy fuel oil (HFO) storage tanks, an oil storage tank, a water treatment station, a demineralised water storage tank, and a liquid effluent treatment unit. 

The African Refining Company (Société Africaine de Raffinage) will supply fuel for the plant through pipelines and tankers from Dakar. The plant will have an input capacity of 1,138,800 cubic metres of natural gas per year. 

The plant water requirements will be sourced from SEN'EAU, a drinking water supplier in Senegal. The power generated will be transmitted through a 90kV underground power transmission line. 

Upon completion, the Cap des Biches plant will be the biggest power plant in #Senegal and is expected to generate nearly 25% of the power consumed, providing the equivalent electricity needed to power up to 500,000 Senegalese homes. https://t.co/XJbXcx1PVq #GEPoweringAfrica pic.twitter.com/ayALtjcMtE

— GE Africa (@GE_Africa) January 28, 2021

The Cap des Biches combined cycle power plant will be the first power plant in Senegal to feature dual fuel operating capacity. Heavy fuel oils will initially power it but slowly transition to natural gas by mid- 2023, following an expected domestic gas supply spike from Greater Tortue Ahmeyim (GTA) and other developments. 

The project is a major step towards achieving the Senegalese government's aim of universal electrification by 2025.

Top Photo: Project overlay of the Cap des Biches power plant (calikenerji.com)