Volobe Hydroelectric Power Station Explained

Volobe Power Station
Location Map:Madagascar
Location Map Caption:Map of Madagascar showing the location of Volobe Hydroelectric Power Station
Coordinates:-18.1519°N 49.185°W
Country:Madagascar
Location:Volobe, Ambodilazana[1]
Toamasina Rural District
Purpose:P
Status:P
Construction Began:2023 Expected
Opening:2025 Expected
Cost:€350 million (US$372 million)
Owner:Compagnie Générale d'Hydroélectricité de Volobe
Operator:CGHV
Dam Crosses:Ivondro River
Plant Operator:Jirama
Plant Commission:2025 Expected
Plant Type:R
Plant Turbines:Andritz Hydro

6x20 MW

Plant Capacity:120MW
Plant Annual Gen:750 GWh

The Volobe Power Station is a hydroelectric power project under construction in Madagascar.

Location

The power station is constructed in Ambodilazana across the Ivondro River, Toamasina Rural District, near Toamasina. The village of Volobe which will host the power station is located approximately, by road, west of Toamasina, the second-largest city in Madagascar.[2]

Overview

Volobe HPP is a run of river plant with six Francis type generating turbines, each rated at 20 megawatts. Andritz Hydro will supply and install the turbines, for total generating capacity of 120 megawatts.[3]

The consortium that is developing the power station will also build the high voltage evacuation power line that will transmit the energy from this power plant to a point where the energy will enter the national electricity grid. In addition, access roads and other infrastructure will be constructed for the neighboring communities.[4]

Developers

The consortium that owns the power station and is developing it has four shareholder companies as illustrated in the table below. They formed a special purpose vehicle company (SPV) to own, design, build, finance, operate and maintain the power station. The SPV company is called Compagnie Générale d'Hydroélectricité de Volobe (CGHV) (English: General Hydroelectricity Company of Volobe).

Shareholding In General Hydroelectricity Company of Volobe! Rank !! Name of Owner !! Domicile!! Percentage Ownership
1 Jovena (subsidiary of Axian Group)
2
3
4 Madagascar
Total

Construction costs and funding

It is estimated that construction will cost approximately €350 million (approx. US$372 million), funded by loans and equity.

Other considerations

The energy generated at this station will supply an estimated 360,000 Madagascan households, with about 2 million inhabitants. During the construction phase, an estimated 1,000 jobs are expected to be created.[2] This power station will increase the population of Madagascar that is connected to grid electricity and propel the country towards the goal of 70 percent nation electrification by 2030.

In June 2023, the Compagnie générale d'hydroélectricité de Volobe (CGHV), which owns the power station signed a 35-year power purchase agreement with Jiro sy rano Malagasy (Jirama), the electricity public utility company of Madagascar.[5]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. https://meh.mg/volobe/ meh.mg
  2. Web site: Hydroreview.com . Group announces partnership to develop 120-MW Volobe hydropower project in Madagascar . 10 November 2019 . Hydro Review . 30 April 2022.
  3. Web site: Power-Technology.com . Volobe HPP, Madagascar . 20 December 2021 . Carmen . 30 April 2022 . New York City.
  4. Web site: Volobe 2019, The New Hydroelectric Power Plant . 2 August 2019 . Axian Group . 30 April 2022 . Axian Group . Antananarivo, Madagascar.
  5. Web site: Madagascar: JIRAMA to purchase output from the Volobe hydroelectric power station . Afrik21.africa . 5 June 2023 . Jean Marie Takouleu . 7 June 2023 . Paris, France.