• FONSIS seeks partners for 500 MW gas plant
• Project to operate under IPP model, supply national grid
• Plant supports Senegal’s Gas-to-Power energy strategy

Senegal’s sovereign wealth fund, Fonds Souverain d’Investissements Stratégiques (FONSIS), on Friday launched a call for partners to develop a 500-megawatt gas-fired power plant, a project it has been tasked by the state to lead.

The planned facility will have an installed capacity of 500 MW, according to the tender document. The project covers all phases required to deliver the plant, including technical, financial and environmental feasibility studies, detailed engineering design, construction, commissioning, and long-term operation and maintenance.

The plant will be developed under an independent power producer (IPP) model. A special-purpose vehicle (SPV) will be created to finance and operate the project. Electricity generated by the plant will be fed into the national grid.

As the sole off-taker, the National Electricity Company of Senegal (Senelec) will enter discussions to sign a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA), subject to approval by the Electricity Sector Regulatory Commission (CRSE). Interested bidders have until March 20, 2026, at 1200 GMT to submit proposals.

“The partnership should ensure long-term alignment of interests among stakeholders, support skills transfer and local capacity building, and contribute to national energy security while advancing the shift to more cost-competitive energy,” FONSIS said.

Supporting the Gas-to-Power strategy

The 500 MW plant forms part of Senegal’s “Gas-to-Power” strategy, aimed at expanding gas-fired electricity generation. The government adopted the policy in late 2018 to strengthen power supply by converting fuel oil plants to gas and developing new facilities designed for natural gas.

In a 2024 report, the Natural Resource Governance Institute said the strategy seeks to secure Senelec’s supply, gradually reduce reliance on imported fuels and lower generation costs through greater use of natural gas.

Initially, gas supply will rely in part on imported liquefied natural gas (LNG), before domestic output from the cross-border Grand Tortue-Ahmeyim (GTA) field ramps up.

Abdel-Latif Boureima