The Gambian Ministry of Petroleum, National Water and Electricity Company (NAWEC), and the Chinese company Sinohydro Corporation signed a $165m project aiming to construct a new HFO Power Plant with 60MW capacity in late April, All Africa reported.

According to The Point, the power plan is expected to act as a medium intervention, providing adequate and stable power supply in the Greater Banjul Area. It also aims to lay the foundation for regional interconnection using OMVG energy project and the West African Power Pool.

NAWEC Managing Director, Baba Fatajo, said the project is as a result of the bilateral cooperation between China and Gambia.

“Following critical needs assessment of priority intervention areas of the economy, the government of China through the government of Gambia accepted to intervene in the energy subsector by developing a 62MW project in terms of additional generating capacity” he added.

The Minister of Petroleum and Energy, Fafa Sanyang, stated during the signing ceremony that, if the project is successfully implemented, it would boost the economy. He noted that it will also increase access to a stable and affordable power supply.