Dibwangui hydropower project meets international sustainability standards

The official International Hydropower Association (IHA) ESG has released an assessment report on the Dibwangui hydropower project in Gabon stating that the project has met international best practices, especially in terms of stakeholder participation (local authorities and communities, etc.). The Dibwangui project confirms the FGIS-Eranove commitment to designing and operating increasingly efficient and sustainable production facilities.

Using the ESG tool, Gabon’s Dibwangui hydropower plant was independently assessed for sustainability against best practices in the sector between September and October 2019. This tool was developed by the International Hydropower Association (IHA) in partnership with the Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Board.

The Dibwangui project is being developed under the aegis of Louetsi Hydro, a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) set up by FGIS-Eranove in the form of a Gabonese public limited company. Located 550 km from the capital Libreville in the Ngounié province, the project involves the design, financing, construction, and operation of a hydroelectric power plant with an estimated installed capacity of 15 MW and an estimated annual output of 90 GWh.

The evaluation report credits the Dibwangui project with successfully meeting 11 of the 12 criteria for good practice, including the ability to extensively engage the various stakeholders through “exemplary” communication and consultation plans and processes.

The report also underscores the economic, environmental, and social benefits of the project to the communities and areas concerned.

In keeping with the commitments of pan-African industrial group Eranove and the FGIS and the objectives of the Gabonese government, the Dibwangui hydroelectric power plant contributes to the fight against climate change. Its greenhouse gas emissions are estimated at 30 g eqv CO2/kWh and it will eventually emit between 20 and 40 times less than a thermal power plant with equivalent production and more than 10 times less than Gabon’s current energy mix. It will also strive to preserve biodiversity in an ecoregion known for its diverse terrestrial and aquatic environments by integrating this into the plant’s design and is already planning actions to benefit the local population.

Furthermore, the project includes the construction of electricity transmission lines and there-electrification of the villages between Dibwangui and Makongonio, thus economically revitalizing this region which has a population of 22,973. In addition to these technical solutions, it provides for the establishment of voluntary plans to contribute to local development and support employment and economic activities, particularly in the agri-food industry (fishing and hunting).