Siemens has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Republic of Madagascar to cooperate and identify measures to fast track power generation in the country and work towards increasing capacity by an additional 300 MW by 2019. The agreement was signed with project partners TSK.
Key aspects of the agreement include an assessment of the electrical grid based on the new power generation sources; applying financial concepts that will ensure the long-term sustainability of these infrastructure investments; and creating opportunities for local upskilling and job creation during construction and operation.
Currently, Madagascar has 676 MW of installed generation capacity, and it is estimated that around 20 per cent of the population has access to electricity. There are opportunities to increase the installed capacity through hydropower and exploration of oil reserves.
Sabine Dall’Omo, CEO for Southern and Eastern Africa for Siemens, said: “The primary goal of this agreement is to increase national power generating capacity, and to connect the local population to the grid. A reliable and extensive power supply system is the fundamental prerequisite for economic growth. Siemens wants to support the sustainable development of Madagascar.”
One of the short-term initiatives is installation of a Siemens 44 MW aeroderivative gas turbine (SGT-A45) for mobile power generation in Antananarivo. This unit can be installed in less than two weeks.