Wärtsilä, a leading global supplier of flexible and efficient power plant solutions, has signed a turnkey contract for the construction, procurement and engineering of a major power plant to be built in Nouakchott, Mauritania in West Africa. The contract is worth EUR 128 million.
The power plant order has been placed by the state-owned utility, Société Mauritanienne d’Electricité (Somelec). When completed, the electricity produced will be fed to the national grid and will also be used to provide energy for the country’s growing mining industry. Equipment delivery and completion of all construction work is estimated to be finalised within a 24 month time frame. Wärtsilä is also negotiating a long term Operations and Maintenance (O&M) contract for the power plant.
The plant will be powered by a total of eight Wärtsilä 50DF dual-fuel generating sets, which are able to run on both natural gas and conventional liquid fuels (heavy fuel oil and light fuel oil). The power plant is intended to operate on natural gas from the Banda offshore oilfield, some 80 km off the Mauritania coast. This supply is scheduled to be available in 2015.
“This turnkey project is further evidence of Wärtsilä’s leading global position in dual-fuel engine technology which offers high efficiency, low operating costs and outstanding reliability. Our experience and know-how in providing competitive and flexible power solutions is being increasingly recognised by major power providers around the world,” says Vesa Riihimäki, Group Vice President, Wärtsilä Power Plants.
This is currently the most important dual-fuel power project being undertaken in West Africa. Wärtsilä has already delivered several power plants to Mauritania with over 170 MW of total power output.
