Mauritania Opens Electricity Market with 230MW Gas Power Project

Mauritania has taken a major step in reforming its electricity sector after signing agreements that will allow private investment in the country's power generation through the planned 230-megawatt N'diago Combined Cycle Gas Turbine (CCGT) power plant.

The agreements, which was signed in Nouakchott by the Government of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania and ACWA Power, cover the development, financing, construction and operation of the project under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) and a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA).

The signing ceremony was attended by senior government officials and ACWA Power Chairman Mohammad Abunayyan.

The N'diago project will become Mauritania's first large-scale gas-fired Independent Power Producer (IPP). This introduces private sector participation into electricity generation, marking a new stage in the country's power sector reform.

Independent power producers build and operate electricity plants while selling electricity under agreed contracts. This model allows governments to attract private funding and technical expertise instead of relying only on public resources to expand electricity supply.

The new power station will have a capacity of 230MW and will use combined cycle gas turbine technology. The plant will also make use of Mauritania's domestic natural gas resources, feeding electricity into the national grid.

Project targets reliable electricity supply

Mauritania has been working to improve electricity supply as demand continues to increase. Better power generation and stronger grid performance are important for homes, businesses and industries that depend on stable electricity.

The planned gas-fired facility is expected to improve the reliability of the national grid while reducing fuel use compared with conventional thermal power plants. It also supports the country's plan to use its own natural gas resources in electricity generation.

The project is expected to strengthen long-term energy security and help meet increasing electricity demand while supporting Mauritania's energy transition goals.

Hashim Ghabashi, President for Africa Region at ACWA Power, described the signing as an important step for Mauritania's electricity sector and the partnership between the company and the Mauritanian government.

He said years of cooperation had led to the project, which will use domestic gas resources to deliver reliable and affordable electricity through 230MW of high-efficiency generation capacity.

Ghabashi also said the agreements create a financial framework that can support industrial development, improve energy security and encourage more private investment in Mauritania's electricity sector. He noted that the project also strengthens ACWA Power's activities in West Africa.

ACWA Power is an international developer, investor and operator of power, water desalination and renewable energy projects. The company currently has 111 assets that are operational, under construction or in advanced development in 16 countries.

Its portfolio represents investments of about SAR468.9 billion, equivalent to about 125 billion US dollars. The company has 98 gigawatts of power generation capacity, including 52.3 gigawatts from renewable energy sources, as well as desalinated water production capacity of 9.7 million cubic metres per day.

The N'diago power plant expands ACWA Power's activities in Africa as the company continues developing electricity, water and renewable energy projects in the Middle East, Africa, Central Asia and Southeast Asia.

With the agreements now signed, Mauritania has opened a new chapter in its electricity sector by bringing private investment into large-scale power generation through the planned 230MW N'diago gas-fired power plant.