Equatorial Guinea
has inaugurated a new electricity plant in the city
of Djibloho that forms the final major element in its plan to extend
electrical power to the entire nation.
President Obiang Nguema Mbasogo dedicated the plant in an official
ceremony on October 11.
“The importance
of this project is to ensure a better life for all of our citizens […],”
President Obiang stated at the ceremony. “Today we are going to overcome a
challenge, electricity for everything, energy for everyone; some took it as an
impossible deed, but today Equatorial Guinea now
has energy for all of its citizens.”
The Djibloho
Hydroelectric and Distribution Plant is one of
the nation’s largest investments in infrastructure to date, and will generate more than 220 kilowatts to supply electricity
to the mainland. The plant
also helps the nation diversify its energy supply, which is largely depended on
hydrocarbons.
The electrical plant is part of Equatorial
Guinea’s multi-year program to improve the country’s infrastructure. The new, state-of-the-art electricity
plant will play an important role in meeting Horizon 2020 development goals
that aim to make Equatorial Guinea an emergent and
sustainable economy by 2020.
“Energy is
[now] in almost every corner of the nation, in all provinces, provincial
capitals, districts and towns,” Said President Obiang.
Equatorial
Guinea is currently working on connecting the remaining villages that are
without electricity to the national electrical grid.
Construction on the project, which received support from the government of China, began in 2008. Equatorial Guinean technicians received training to ensure proper local operation of the plant.
