Water resources and Energy :

The driving force of economic growth in Cameroon

H.E. Paul Biya

President of the Republic of Cameroon, Head of State

“ Energy is at the core of any development process. Without it, there can neither be in-

dustry nor processing of raw materials, and hence, there can be no modern economy.”

Mr. Philemon Yang Prime Minister, Head of Government

Dr. Basile Atangana Kouna

Minister of Water Resources and Energy

Chair person of the Council of Ministers of the Pan African Agency for Water

and Sanitation in Africa

No emergence without energy or water. This observation, which sounds more

like a maxim, was made during the 6th joint meeting of African Ministers of

Economy, Finance and Development Planning in Abidjan from 21 to 27 March

2013. It was recognized that Africa can achieve emergence by 15 to 20 years,

thanks to the local processing of its agricultural and mineral resources. And yet,

electricity remains the driving force behind any industrialization. This shows the

central role of the Ministry of Water Resources and Energy in Cameroon’s

march towards its development, its emergence.

Cameroon’s new energy vision is, thus, presented in this context. The onus is on us to quickly

bridge the gap through the thermal solution, in order to put an end to power cuts by positioning thermal

power as a supplementary source for the current production of AES/SONEL, itself plagued by dilapi-

dated facilities. This justifies the commissioning, in late 2009, of the 86-MW capacity Yassa Dibamba

heavy fuel oil thermal plant; the implementation of the Emergency Thermal Power Programme (ETPP),

with the installation of four plants of a total capacity of 100 MW in Bamenda (20 MW), Mbalmayo (10

MW), Ebolowa (10 MW) and Yaounde-Ahala (60 MW); the construction of the 216-MW capacity

(extendable to 330 MW) Kribi natural gas-fired thermal plant. These facilities are already operational

and their production is directly injected into the South Interconnected Grid (SIG), as requested by AES/

SONEL.

In our quest to bridge the current gap between supply and demand by enterprises and house-

holds, we aim to triple our production by the year 2020 and, thus, step up the installed capacity to 3000

MW. The big overarching projects in the field of hydroelectricity and that of new energies make a con-

tribution to this effect. Several construction sites have been launched and are well advanced. We can

mention the construction and commissioning of an impounding dam of nearly 7 billion m3 in Lom Pan-

gar to regulate River Sanaga’s flow. Thanks to its 6 billion m3 water reservoir, Lom Pangar is expected

to boost the generating capacity of downstream hydroelectric dams on River Sanaga, such as that of

Song Loulou. The construction of a 30-MW power plant is planned at Lom Pangar to supply the entire

East Region; the 201-MW Memve’ele hydroelectric dam project on River Ntem, and the construction of

the Mekin mini-hydroelectric plant on River Dja (15 MW). Several other similar projects are planned in

the medium and more or less long terms. These are the hydroelectric dams of Chollet (East), Bini à Wa-

rak (Adamawa), Menchum and Katsina (North-West), Noun-Wouri (Littoral), etc.

New and renewable energies also offer us an important operational field for electricity generation.

Two photovoltaic solar energy plants, of 500 MW each, will soon be constructed, within the framework

of public/private partnership with the FIDES GESTION group and the Chinese HUAWEI company; the

plants will primarily supply secondary towns and rural areas.

These solar systems will come to strengthen the action taken by the Rural Energy Fund (REF) to

develop infrastructure for supply of energy services to the population of rural areas.

Such is our vision in the institutional role assigned to the Ministry of Water Resources and Energy

(MINEE). Stay the course, remain hopeful!

OUR MISSIONS

Preparation of government water and energy supply strategies and plans;

Water prospecting, exploration and exploitation in the urban and rural area;

Quantity and quality improvement of water and energy production;

Promotion of investments in the water and energy sectors;

Promotion of new energies;

Regulation of water use in agricultural, industrial and health activities;

Monitoring of groundwater management;

Monitoring of water basin management;

Monitoring of the downstream petroleum and gas sector as well as regulatory companies in

the water and energy sector.

INSTITUTIONS AND COMPANIES UNDER OUR SUPERVISORY AUTHORITY

Cameroon Water Utilities Corporation (Camwater);

Electricity Development Corporation (EDC );

Rural Electrification Agency (AER);

Electricity Sector Regulatory Agency (ARSEL );

Cameroon Petroleum Depots Corporation (SCDP);

National Refinery Corporation (SONARA);

HYDROMEKIN.

CAMEROON’S WATER AND ENERGY POTENTIAL

A hydrographic network made up of watercourses and natural and artificial lakes.

Cameroon is drained by five water basins: the Lake Chad, Niger, Congo, and Sanaga Basins and that

of coastal rivers. Cameroon boasts of significant water resources: rainfall varies between 561.1 m in

Makari in the Lake Chad Basin to 9763.9 m in Debundscha in the coastal river basin. Cameroon’s

surface water resources stand at 267.88 km3, distributed among the above-mentioned five basins.

ACCESS RATES

Access to energy: access of households and economic operators to energy will be im-

proved by increasing access rates to electricity and cooking gas, as well as the share of re-

newable energies in the energy mix available for consumption from 49%, 17% and 0.5% in

2013 to 57%, 20% and 3% in 2016, respectively;

Access to drinking water and liquid sanitation: this programme’s objective is to im-

prove access by households and economic operators to drinking water and liquid sanitation

by increasing the rates of access to drinking water and improved individual sanitation from

60% and 37% in 2013 to 70% and 44% in 2016 respectively.

The share of renewable in the energy mix is less than 1 %. The ambition is to step up this rate to

5 % by 2020. Several projects are in progress.

A SIGNIFICANT RENEWABLE ENERGY POTENTIAL, BUT STILL UNDEREXPLOITED

Several other projects subject to studies are at the stage of search for financing:

REGIONS SOURCES OBSERVATIONS

North and Far North

Solar Animal biomass (biogas) Geothermal

High solar potential (5.74 to 6 KWh/m2/D) High animal biomass potential Presence of hot areas in the Mandara Mountains

Adamawa

Solar Wind Biomass Micro-hydroelectricity Geothermal

Average potential Presence of hot areas in Meï ganga, Tigne re

Grand South (Centre, Littoral, East, South, West, North-West, South-West)

Plant biomass Micro-hydroelectricity Solar Wind Geothermal Tidal

High plant biomass potential High potential Average potential (4.5 KWh/m2/D) High potential at the level of the Bamboutos Mountains Presence of hot areas in Ekondo Titi, Nwa

PROJECTS UNDER STUDY

Construction of 50 MW of extendable photo-voltaic parks

Studies conducted at Louggueo II in Maroua II and Katoul in Maroua I on the Maroua-Mokolo road

Construction of the Maroua plant

Public lighting in coun-cils and city councils

Preliminary studies conducted in 29 councils and city councils, Preliminary Design and service contract transmitted to MINEPAT for search for financing

99 million US dollars

Construction of a 2.66 MW hydroelectric plant in the localities of the North

Feasibility studies conducted

Awaiting MIN-FI’s sovereign guarantee letter for the project’s implementation

Wind energy project on the Bamboutos Mountains - 40MW extendable to 80MW

Feasibility studies conducted and trans-mitted to MINEPAT for search for financ-ing

74 billion CFA F

CONTRIBUTION OF RENEWABLE ENERGIES TO THE SECTOR DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY :

1. The preservation of energy independence and development of foreign trade; 2. The promotion of energy access for all, and at rational and competitive prices; 3. The use of energy to stimulate the economy and employment; 4. The conservation of energy, preservation of the environment and promotion of security; 5. The improvement of the efficiency of the legal, regulatory and institutional framework and

energy sector financing mechanisms.

A SIGNIFICANT HYDROELECTRICITY POTENTIAL DEVELOPED BY THE ONGOING

IMPLEMENTATION OF SEVERAL PROJECTS.

The equipable hydroelectric potential in Cameroon is estimated at 20 GW for producible of 115 TWH/

year.

Table: Timetable of major electricity projects according to various sources

Source: Ministry of Water Resources and Energy

Table: Cameroon’s energy resources

Source : MINEE, Cameroon’s Energy Situation Report, 2012.

PROJETS ENERGIES RENOUVELABLES EN COURS DE REALISATION

Resources Appraisal Available data

Oil Modest 30 million tonnes of reserves with an R/P= 7 years

Natural gas Modest 186 billion m3

Renewable energies Significant 2nd forestry potential in the Congo Basin unequally distributed between the north and south of the country

Hydroelectricity Significant 20 GW of equipable hydroelectric potential for a producible of 115 TWH/year.

Projects Description State of progress Forecast for 2014 Cost

FIDES GES-TION

Construction of photo-voltaic parks of a capac-ity of 500 MW through-out the national territo-ry

36kW already installed in Meyomessala Earthworks and construc-tion of the fence complet-ed at the Maroua site

Extension of the pilot phase of 100 MW to other localities

800 billion CFAF

HUAWEI Electrification of 1000 localities, including 350 for the first phase

Public lighting pilot pro-ject on the Ngousso – Uni-versity of Soa road Completed after the 1 500 000 000 CFA F Grant provided by the Government of the Peo-ple’s Republic of China

Implementation of

the first phase.

Extension of the solar

plant in the south of

the country for a sum

of 370 million CFA F

(2014 PIB)

Cameroon Industrial Develop-ment Cor-poration (CIDC)

Construction of a solar plant of 35 MW in the Littoral Region

Studies completed, pur-chase contract signed with EDC

Transmission of studies to MINEPAT for search for financ-ing

99 million US dollars

RENEWABLE ENERGY PROJECTS IN PROGRESS

FLAGSHIP PROJECTS IN THE ELECTRICITY SECTOR

SUCCINCT PRESENTATION OF FLAGSHIP PROJECTS (LOM PANGAR, MEKIN, MEMVE’ELE,

ETC) C.F. TABLE

HYDROELECTRIC DAM PROJECTS PLANNED IN THE MEDIUM AND LONG TERM

North-West Region:

Menchum, capacity 72 MW;

Katsina Rivers.

Adamawa Region: Bini à Warak, capacity 75 MW);

Littoral Region:

Song Ndong, capacity 270 MW;

Noun-Wouri.

East Region: Chollet.

Project Description

Lom Pangar project

- Regulate River Sanaga’s flow thanks to a reservoir of 6 billion m3 of water; - Increase the production capacities of Song Loulou and Edea by 170 MW; - 30 MW hydroelectric plant at the foot of Lom Pangar (4 generators of 7.5 MW each) and a 90 KV power transmission line of 105 KM long between the site and Bertoua ; - Possible export of the surplus power to the CAR; - Extend the Edea ALUCAM factory; - Ensure the construction of other dams on the Sanaga watershed (Nachtigal, Song Bengue, etc.). - Cost of works: 238 billion CFA F.

Mekin mini-plant pro-ject

Increase electricity supply from 12 to 15 MW

Kribi gas plant project Capacity of 216 MW extendable to 333 MW

Memve’ele project

Increase power supply, so as to secure the SIN. Cost: 365 billion CFA F; capaci-ty: 201 MW

EMERGENCY PLAN FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE ELECTRICITY TRANSMISSION SECTOR

Other lines under study

Bafoussam Foumban (90 kV)

Bafoussam - Bangangte (90k V)

Bafoussam - Dschang (90 kV)

Substations Characteristics

Construction of an interconnection substation in Ngodi Bakoko

225/90/15 kV - 150 MVA

Construction of an interconnection substation in Logbessou

225/90/15 kV - 150 MVA and 90/15 kV 50 MVA

Construction of an interconnection substation in Nyom 2

225/90/15 kV - 150 MVA and 90/15 kV 50 MVA

Construction of an interconnection substation in Bafoussam

225/90/15 kV - 105 MVA and 90/30 kV 36 MVA

Lines Justification Voltage

(kV) Number of

circuits Length

(km) Section (mm²)

Mangombe - Nkol-koumou- Yaounde North (Nyom 2)

Securing of Yaounde supply 225 kV 2 170 2X366

Nyom 2 - Oyoma-bang

Creation of a 225 kV link between the Nyom 2 and Oyomabang 225/90 kV substations . The dimensioning of this link takes into account the development of the Grand Nachtigal plant

225 kV 2 15 2X570

Songloulou - Bafous-sam

Secure N-1 supply of the West Region 225 kV 2 227 366

Mangombe - Logba-ba

Securing of Douala supply; improvement of network stability.

225 kV 2 65 2X366

Ngodi Bakoko - Log-bessou - Bekoko

Securing of Douala supply; improvement of network stability.

225 kV 2 45 366

Kodengui - Biteng - Ahala

Reinforcement of the 90 kV Oyomabang - Ngousso line now saturated - Securing N-1 by creating a 90 kV electrical ring

90 kV 2 15 366

Nyom 2 - Ngousso Transmission of energy from the Nyom 2 225/90 substation- Securing N-1 by creat-ing a 90 kV electrical ring

90 kV 2 10 366

Logbessou - Makepe Hooking up of the Logbessou substation 90 kV 2 6 366

Ngodi Bakoko - Kou-massi

Reinforcement of the 90 kV Logbaba - Kou-massi line - Securing N-1

90 kV 1 11 366

Koumassi - Deido Reinforcement of the 90 kV Logbaba - Kou-massi line - Securing N-1

90 kV 1 5 366

Draft studies subject to Memorendum Of Understanding (MOU)

The total available storage capacity is now 225 000 m3. Needs on their part stand at about 400 000 m3 .

PETROLEUM PRODUCTS AND GAS

Supply and distribution remain in a state of delicate balance due to the increased infrastructure needs

that projects in the sector are progressively meeting.

PETROLEUM PRODUCT AND GAS SECTOR INFRASTRUCTURE

PETROLEUM PRODUCT PRODUCTION, TRANSPORTATION AND STORAGE PROJECTS

Location Stored products Storage capacities

DOUALA

Super, Diesel, Kerosene, Jet A1 103 000 m3

Heavy fuel 22 000 m3

Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) 15 000 tonnes

YAOUNDE LPG 500 tonnes

Super, Diesel, Kerosene, Jet A1 45 000 m3

BELABO Super, Diesel, Kerosene 5 250 m3

GAROUA Super, Diesel, Kerosene 9 911 m3

NGAOUNDERE LPG 90 tonnes

Super, Diesel, Kerosene 5 550 m3

MAROUA LPG 70 tonnes

BAFOUSSAM LPG 170 tonnes

Super, Diesel, Kerosene 17 723 m3

Project Description / State of progress

Extension and Mod-ernization of the Re-finery (SONARA)

Phase 1 for extension of capacities from 2.1 to 3.5 tonnes/year ends in 2014 at a cost of about 300 billion.

Phase 2 for modernization at a cost of about 350 billion starts in 2014 (Construction of hydrogen, sulfur and conversion units)

The construction of a bitumen factory estimated at 70 billion is also planned.

Cameroon Gas Project (Rodeo Development Limited)

Natural gas produced and delivered by a 23-km pipeline network to 26 industries of the Bassa industrial zone. Extension to other firms under way.

Pipeline construction project

A tender was launched for the 1st section and negotiations are under way

Construction of addi-tional capacities

Ongoing construction of 2 tanks of 6 500 m3 of petroleum product storage capacities

Kribi hydrocarbons terminal project

Project integrated into the Kribi Deep Seaport Project with 246 000 m3

Kribi Refinery Project Construction of a high capacity refinery: the call for expression of interest is being pre-pared.

Fertilizer factory pro-ject

Project conducted by FERROSTAAL. Startup imminent

Cameroon LNG Pro-ject

Project conducted by SNH and GDF Suez. Startup imminent