• Senegal has commissioned four high-voltage substations to reinforce Dakar’s power network

• The projects are part of the $365 million Senegal Power Compact funded by the MCC

• The upgrades aim to ease grid congestion and support rising electricity demand

Senegal has reinforced Dakar’s electricity network with the commissioning of four high-voltage substations, the national power utility, Senelec, said on Wednesday.

The infrastructure forms part of the Senegal Power Compact, a program financed by the Millennium Challenge Corporation, with total funding of about CFA220 billion, or roughly $365 million.

Near Blaise-Diagne International Airport, the Diass substation has been equipped with two 80-megavolt-ampere transformers, replacing older 40-MVA units, Senelec said. The site supplies power to airport facilities, nearby industrial zones, and surrounding communities.

In Hann, east of the capital, an additional 80-MVA transformer and a new switchboard have been installed to strengthen electricity supply to several Dakar neighborhoods, according to the utility. The Yoff substation, in the northwest of the city, has also been upgraded, doubling its transmission capacity. It serves densely populated urban areas as well as Léopold-Sédar-Senghor Airport.

Beyond the urban sites, work was carried out at the Kounoune substation, southeast of Dakar, where the 225-kilovolt network was extended through the construction of two new high-voltage lines aimed at improving interconnection with the national grid.

During a press visit organized by the Millennium Challenge Corporation in collaboration with Senelec, Makhtar Ndiaye, a technical adviser on electricity at the Ministry of Energy, Petroleum and Mines, said the transmission network was a critical link in delivering more reliable, stable, and higher-quality electricity. He said the projects were designed to ease network congestion and keep pace with growing demand.

A growing power sector

The reinforcement of Dakar’s grid comes as Senegal has recorded steady growth in electricity production in recent years, according to official sector data.

Expanding access to electricity remains central to the country’s energy strategy. Official figures cited by the International Energy Agency show that urban access reached 97% in 2022, while efforts continue to narrow persistent gaps with rural areas.

As part of that push, the Senegalese government has committed to providing electricity to about 6.6 million additional people by 2030, a target outlined in sector planning documents.

At the same time, debate continues over how electrification should be delivered. Civil society groups have called for the development of decentralized solutions, presented as a complement to investment in centralized infrastructure, to support the expansion of electricity access nationwide.

Abdel-Latif Boureima