US$302.9 million financing approved for Power Link project between Mauritania and Mali

The African Development Bank (AfDB) has approved US$302.9 million in financing to support the 225 kV Mauritania-Mali electricity interconnection and solar power project.

The project involves setting up a 1,373 km high-voltage electrical link with a transfer capacity of 600 MW connecting the two nations. Additionally, it includes the establishment of a 50 MW solar power facility in Kiffa, Mauritania, interconnected with the aforementioned electrical link. This undertaking marks the initial segment of the Trans-Sahel backbone within the Desert-to-Power Initiative, seeking to establish a connection from Mauritania to Chad through Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger. The work has been divided into three lots as follows:

• Lot 1: Construction of the Yélimané (Mali)-Tintane-Kiffa (Mauritania) 225 kV double-circuit high-voltage line and three associated substations at Yélimané, Tintane and Kiffa;
• Lot 2: Construction of the 225 kV Kayes-Yélimané double-circuit high-voltage line and the extension of the existing Kayes substation (Mali); and
• Lot 3: Construction of the 225 kV Tintane-Aïoun double-circuit high-voltage line and a new substation in Aïoun (Mauritania).

The financial allocation includes US$269.6 million allocated to Mauritania and US$33.3 million designated for Mali, sourced from the African Development Fund, which is the concessional arm of the AfDB. The overall project expenditure is anticipated to be around US$888 million. On December 12, 2023, the call for bids to undertake the construction of the Mauritania-Mali interconnection was initiated. Interested parties are required to submit their bids by the deadline of February 20, 2024.