Vestas has won an engineering, procurement and construction contract for Lekela’s 159MW Taiba N’Diaye wind farm in Senegal, marking the Danish manufacturer’s debut deal in the African country.
The agreement covers supply, transport, installation and commissioning of 46 V126-3.45MW turbines.
Delivery is planned for the second and the third quarters of 2019, with commissioning in the third quarter of that year and first quarter of 2020.
A active output management 5000 service agreement for the operation and maintenance of the wind farm over the next 20 years is also included in the contract.
The Danish export credit agency EKF is supporting the project with a €140m loan.
Vestas vice president of sales for the Western Mediterranean region Nicolas Wolff said: “This is a very special order for us, since together with Lekela, we are delivering a project that will represent 20% of the country’s energy mix and have a positive impact on Senegalese communities, providing opportunities for local employment while responding to the country’s energy challenges.
“Vestas has installed wind turbines in around 80 markets, including more than 1GW in Africa, providing clean energy and fostering local jobs and training. With this project, we will contribute to Senegal in the same way through sharing our extensive knowledge and deep experience of supporting wind energy projects in emerging markets.”
Lekela chief operating officer Chris Ford said: “This is a major milestone for Senegal, and for Lekela. As the first utility-scale wind power project in the country, Taiba N’Diaye forms a critical component of Senegal’s clean energy strategy.
“The project will create an impact that lasts for generations. We have many people to thank in reaching this point, not least the communities, stakeholders and partners like Vestas who we’ve worked closely with in recent months.”
Image: Vestas
Vestas secures Senegal debut
By EBS