On energy, President Barrow said a welcome development is the respective commissioning of the OMVG substations in Brikama and Soma last year, adding that since the inauguration of the Soma substation in October 2021, NAWEC has been receiving power from Senegal through the 225 KV OMVG line.
“In March 2022, NAWEC signed a 50MW Power Purchase Agreement with Senelec and began receiving 30MW of this capacity in April. In addition to the 20MW solar plant in Jambur, feasibility studies for the 150MW Solar Park in The Gambia are ongoing. Execution ends in 2025. The NAMA project under UNDP will also provide 10MW solar energy between Farafenni and Basse.”
He stated that work on electrification to attain the 2025 Universal Access goal set by my Government is in high gear, saying the programme will provide electricity access to 685 villages and modernise the NAWEC Transmission and Distribution systems.
Recently, he said, The Gambia signed a US$25 million grant agreement with the Millennium Challenge Corporation of the U.S., and the National Assembly ratified it for implementation. He said it would elevate NAWEC’s operations and strengthen the governance and regulatory frameworks of the electricity sub-sector.
“Plans are afoot to solve the water supply bottlenecks through the Indian Government supported project, to which the World Bank and the African Development Bank contribute.”
