MAN Increases Generation Capacity in Burkina Faso by almost 20%

MAN Energy Solutions is supplying three MAN 18V51/60TS engines for a power plant extension in Burkina Faso. Located in Kossodo – a suburb of the capital city, Ouagadougou – the extension will feed a total of 55 megawatts (MW) of electrical power into the national grid, thus increasing the country's generation capacity by almost 20%. The plant is owned by the national energy supplier, SONABEL, with local company Tecmon BF acting as main contractor. Tecmon BF together with its UK branch Tecmon Projects Limited build a solid group of EPC leaders in the construction of power plant and power lines in Africa.  

“At present, only 30% of Burkina Faso’s population has access to electrical energy. The government now wants to change this and is planning to significantly increase generation capacity in the next years. We are proud of our contribution to this through our new engines in Kossodo,” said Waldemar Wiesner, Head of Region MEA (Middle-East Africa), Power Plant Sales at MAN Energy Solutions.

Another MAN power solution for Burkina Faso

The national energy supplier, SONABEL, has relied on power plant engines from MAN Energy Solutions since 1978. In total, MAN has supplied electricity-generation technology for five power plants, which are still in operation all over the country. “As soon as the Kossodo power plant is extended, nearly 50% of Burkina Faso’s installed capacity will be based on MAN technology,” added Wiesner.

He further commented: “Not only the reliability of our engines, but also the high service quality that we have demonstrated over the years in maintaining various engines already in operation was decisive for winning this order. In addition, SONABEL has chosen an innovative engine setup for the power plant in Kossodo, making it, by far the most efficient power plant in the country and clearly meeting the emission guidelines of the World Bank”.

In Kossodo, the customer is relying on three MAN 18V51/60TS engines with two-stage turbocharging. Gensets of this design have both a low- and a high-pressure compressor, which operate in series to deliver an increase in power density and efficiency. This simultaneously guarantees maximum fuel efficiency and a more compact system design.