By: Creamer media

The Sambangalou hydropower project in Senegal has entered a new phase with the arrival of equipment in July marking the official start of construction. Located near the border between Senegal and Guinea-Conakry, the project is central to the Gambia River Basin Development Organization energy initiative, involving Senegal, Guinea-Conakry, The Gambia and Guinea-Bissau.

The dam will have an installed capacity of 128 MW and is expected to produce 394 GWh annually. It will supply electricity to both urban and rural areas in the four countries, helping address persistent energy access issues.

In addition to electricity, the project will support irrigation over 90,000 hectares of agricultural land – 50,000 hectares in The Gambia and 40,000 hectares in Senegal—aimed at improving food production and water access across the region.

Environmental benefits include regulation of the Gambia River’s flow and reduced saltwater intrusion up to 100 km upstream. A 3.8 billion m³ reservoir covering up to 188 km² will enhance water storage, support irrigation and provide drinking water during dry periods.