Cameroon to produce 3000 MW of electricity by 2020

Cameroon seeks a production capacity of 3000 megawatts (MW) of electricity by 2020, through the programme of ten-year planning which starts from 2010 to 2020, said the Ministry of economy, planning and land use at a meeting with donors.

"You can't speak of industrialization without energy available and accessible", says to the economy Minister Emmanuel Nganou.

He explained that the country undertook large-scale energy infrastructure development, in accordance with the company's "great achievements" on which the president of the Republic Paul Biya was re-elected in 2011.

According to figures, Cameroon which represents the second hydroelectric potential in Africa behind the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with 12,000 MW, currently has an installed capacity of slightly more than 1100 MW only.

An offer below expectations, as the annual demand is located between 6 percent and 8 percent.

As consequence, households and businesses are generally facing power cuts, which makes the Cameroonian economy to lose a half point of growth each year according to an official estimate.

These past three years, Cameroon has launched a vast program of building hydroelectric infrastructures, among others, the Lom Pangar dam, in the East of the country, while those of Mekin and Memvé’éle in the South are also being built.

The launching process of the construction of the dams in Menchum and Bini at Warak respectively in the Northwest and the Adamawa are very advanced, as well as discussions between partners for the announced construction of the hydroelectric power station of Natchigal in the central region.