IllustrativeOMVG Energy Interconnection
Gambia / Guinea / Guinea-Bissau / Senegal (four-country regional project) · RegionalEnergy — power transmission · Regional electricity transmission interconnection
The 1,677 km, 225 kV OMVG ring links the grids of The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau and Senegal with 800 MW of trade capacity, benefiting 15 million people; USD 311m is sought toward the c. USD 711m programme.
Rationale
The 1,677 km ring carries Guinea's Kaleta and Souapiti hydropower to four member states, with 800 MW of trade capacity, eight times The Gambia's peak load.¹ ² It is largely energised and brings cleaner, lower-cost power to more than 2.5 million households and businesses.²
- Line
- 1,677 km, 225 kV AC overhead ring
- Substations
- 15, plus two dispatch centres
- Capacity
- 800 MW of trade capacity
- Stage
- Largely energised; Antula inaugurated 2025
Investment opportunity
Transaction structure
USD 311m sought toward the c. USD 711m interconnection programme of four member states.
Use of funds
Being confirmed with OMVG; the programme covers 1,677 km of 225 kV line, 15 substations, two dispatch centres and fibre.
Revenue basis
Bilateral electricity trading contracts between the four national utilities, negotiated in 2019, with a 35-year tenor.
The ask
USD 311m from investors and lenders; scope, use of funds and structure are released to qualified investors under NDA.
Why it is bankable
The ring is largely energised; the last major substation, Antula in Guinea-Bissau, was inaugurated on 25 April 2025.³
Bilateral trading contracts between the four state-owned utilities underpin use of the line, on a 35-year tenor.¹
Built to carry power from Guinea's Kaleta (240 MW) and Souapiti (450 MW) hydropower plants to all four member states.¹
USD 200m from the World Bank and over USD 500m from co-financiers: five multilateral banks and three bilateral agencies.²
Data and evidence · Network and reach
Project readiness and timeline
- OriginationLate-stage development
- FeasibilityCompleted
- StructuringTrading contracts signed
- Financial closePost-diligence
- ConstructionCurrent stage, largely energised
Key risks and mitigants
Four utilities share the asset; trading contracts are signed and OMVG, the four-government basin body, owns it.
Revenue rests on four state-owned utilities rather than one buyer, under 35-year trading contracts.
The ring is largely energised; the last major substation was inaugurated in April 2025.³
Transaction terms
- Offtaker
- State-owned utilities: NAWEC, EDG, EAGB and Senelec
- Contract status
- Bilateral trading contracts signed (negotiated 2019); 35-year tenor
- Structure
- Regional asset of OMVG, the four-government Gambia River Basin Development Organisation
- Technology
- 225 kV AC overhead line, 15 substations, 2 dispatch centres
- Financing to date
- USD 200m World Bank; over USD 500m from co-financiers²
- E&S category
- Category B (AfCEN screening); resettlement plans published 2019–2020
- WAIIS pillar
- Energy Trade & Industrial Growth
Development impact
Access
Cleaner, lower-cost and more reliable power for more than 2.5 million households and businesses.²
Climate
Guinea-Bissau moved from rented heavy fuel oil power to 100% hydroelectricity imported from Guinea.²
Scale
800 MW of trade capacity, eight times the current peak load of The Gambia.²
Integration
A core link of the West African Power Pool and PIDA, alongside the CLSG and OMVS interconnectors.¹