POWERCHINA signed agreements for three drinking water network renovation projects in the three cities of Libreville, Owendo, and Ntum in Gabon on Oct 26, as well as for the Gabon Chingili Hydropower Station project on Oct 27.

The three urban water supply projects are included in the water resources and purification industry development plan of Gabon. The owner is the Ministry of Energy and Water Resources of Gabon, while the funding is coming from the African Development Bank and the China-Africa Development Fund.

The construction period of the projects is 30 months, with the main construction including civil engineering work like trench excavation, backfilling, road surface treatment, as well as pipeline removal, supply, installation, and disinfection. After completion, the three projects will effectively improve the drinking water sanitation level for residents in Libreville.

The Chingili Hydropower Station is located downstream of the Tchimbele and Kinguélé power plants in the Mbin region of Gabon, 90 kilometers away from the capital Libreville. The project owner is ASONHA Energy Company, which was established by the Gabon Strategic Investment Fund (FGIS) and the French Meridiam Fund.

The project plans to have an installed capacity of 35 MW. After completion, it is expected to generate about 205 GWh of clean energy per year, accounting for 13 percent of the current electricity consumption in Libreville.

During the 40-month construction period, the project is expected to create more than 700 jobs for local residents and play an important role in the electrification process in rural areas.

Since entering the Gabon market in 2008, POWERCHINA has completed a number of projects spanning hydropower stations, power grid transformation, and highways, making positive contributions to promoting social development and improving people's livelihoods in Gabon.

Attendees at the signing ceremony of the three drinking water network renovation projects and one hydropower station project between POWERCHINA and Gabon pose for a group photo. [Photo/POWERCHINA]