Lekela’s activities in Senegal are focused on the 158.7MW Parc Eolien Taiba N’Diaye (PETN). It will provide a 15% increase in electricity generation capacity for the country and provide power for over 2 million people.

PETN is a landmark project that provides much needed clean and economically priced energy into the rapidly expanding local grid system operated by Senelec. Construction of the windfarm began in late 2018 and reached commercial operations in 2021.

The project is Senegal’s first utility-scale wind energy project and aligns with the Government of Senegal’s strategy of increasing clean electricity production and diversifying Senegal’s energy mix. The project is also helping reduce the cost of electricity generation in Senegal, which has one of the highest generation costs in Sub-Saharan Africa. PETN will be one of the lowest cost producers of electricity in Senegal.

Lekela has now signed a grant agreement with the United States International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) to fund a feasibility study for an extension to the windfarm. The extension will have a target capacity of 100 MW and contribute significantly towards Senegal meeting its renewable energy targets.

PETN is designed to generate electricity for at least 20 years and consists of 46 Vestas wind turbines that can produce 3.45 megawatts each. They utilise a 117m tubular steel tower and a blade length of 61.7m giving a very large swept area of 12,469 m² allowing the wind turbines to maximise the amount of energy captured from the wind.

It has also undertaken a wide-ranging environmental and social impact assessment and will be built and operated to world class performance standards.

The project benefits from strong government and local community support and has implemented an extensive social investment programme. Up to US$20 million will be invested in the Taiba N’Diaye community throughout the lifetime of the windfarm. PETN created 600 employment opportunities at the peak of construction, along with indirect opportunities through the use of local services. As well as financially, the Taiba N’Diaye community continues to benefit in terms of improved skills and knowledge, leading to better future employment prospects for community members.

Several community projects have already been completed, including revamping two local marketplaces to provide a safe trading environment for local women traders and the construction of a solar field to power the municipal water supply. We have also boosted the local mango economy, and have built a new IT centre at the local school which will benefit approximately 1500 students each year. Lekela has also worked to implement a 15-year long bird monitoring programme to assess the impact of the windfarm on the area's biodiversity.

In response to the coronavirus pandemic, Lekela has continued to support the community through awareness campaigns, distributing PPE and supporting vulnerable households including the provision of food.

For more information about the Taiba N’Diaye wind farm, visit www.taibaeolien.com