en.Wedoany.com Reported - John Cockerill has officially signed a contract with Mauritania's national power company, SOMELEC, to carry out a hybrid energy retrofit of 10 thermal power plants in the country, aiming to reduce fossil fuel dependence and lower electricity production costs.
Funded by a French concessional loan, this strategic project, led by John Cockerill in partnership with SOMELEC, focuses on implementing hybrid energy retrofits for 10 thermal power plants operated by SOMELEC. Under the contract, John Cockerill will build 10 solar power stations, including nearly 15,000 photovoltaic panels (8 MWp), 53 battery storage units (13 MWh capacity), and a Plant Management System serving as the actual commander of the facilities. Additionally, John Cockerill will be responsible for the ten-year maintenance of these microgrids.
At each site, the newly built solar power stations will be connected via fiber optics to the existing thermal power plants equipped with generator sets, forming a single microgrid. The project will also include the construction of a training facility to educate SOMELEC teams and develop their skills in hybrid solar power plant architecture.
In early June, John Cockerill CEO Jean-Luc Maurange met with SOMELEC CEO Khroumbaly Lehbib for the formal contract notification, marking the start of the project execution phase. Within less than two years, these 10 power plants will be equipped with John Cockerill's new solutions, which will significantly reduce the country's dependence on fossil fuels and optimize energy management at isolated sites.
This contract supports Mauritania's climate commitments. Through its third Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC3), the country aims to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions by 75% by 2035 and plans to fully leverage its vast renewable energy potential. The project has strong support from local authorities in Mauritania and mobilizes John Cockerill's technical expertise within France.
In accordance with the contract, the John Cockerill team will be responsible for equipment engineering, project management, and operations and maintenance, while leveraging its expertise in managing complex projects. This project will sustainably enhance the robustness and stability of the power grid and will significantly reduce electricity production costs. It is estimated that the facilities will save up to 3 million liters of diesel annually once operational.
