Electricity: Facing consumer concerns, Senelec promises more affordable energy thanks to gas

As part of its public service missions, the National Electricity Company of Senegal (Senelec) organised on Tuesday, June 30, 2026 a guided tour to the West African Energy (WAE) power plant and the regasification station at Cap des Biches for the benefit of consumer associations.

This visit, which is part of the annual program to prepare for winter, high temperatures and peak periods, aims to better inform consumer protection structures about the major investments made by Senelec to sustainably strengthen the quality and continuity of electricity supply.

Consumer associations were able to learn about the crucial role of the WAE power plant (often incorrectly spelled WEA), the country's largest privately owned power generation project integrated into the grid. During his presentation, Senelec's Senior Equipment Director, Djibi Dieng, emphasized the site's vital importance: "It is one of the most important projects in the company's generation portfolio. This power plant was initiated by Senelec through Senegalese developers who were willing to invest in its construction." It is fully integrated into the national "Gas to Power" strategy, which aims to convert natural gas into electricity to drastically reduce production costs.

A giant 366 MW plant costing 283 billion FCFA, 100% owned by Senelec

Presenting the technical specifications of the project, WAE's Executive Director, Falilou Sèye, indicated that this power plant will have a final capacity of 366 MW to supply the Senegalese interconnected grid. It combines gas turbines and a steam recovery cycle, offering significantly higher energy efficiency than conventional power plants with a reduced environmental impact.

Mr. Sèye specified that the infrastructure will temporarily operate using imported natural gas, pending the full availability of gas produced in Senegal. In terms of the timeline, the commissioning of the 240 MW simple cycle is scheduled for this August 2026, while full combined cycle operation is expected in the first half of 2027. With a total cost of 283 billion CFA francs, the project is now 100% owned by Senelec, illustrating the State's commitment to fully regaining control of its energy sovereignty.

Towards a decrease in the price of the kilowatt-hour?

As proof of the scope of this transparency visit, the president of the Association of Consumers of Senegal (Ascosen), Momar Ndao, welcomed the approach while recalling the priority expectations of users: continuous, quality and above all cheaper electricity.

For the consumer advocacy leader, the complete switch to gas promises to be revolutionary for Senegalese consumers' wallets. "Once gas is fully utilized, we will reduce production costs by nearly four times, and this will directly impact energy prices. As soon as production costs decrease, we will contact Senelec to ensure that this reduction also benefits consumers," promised Momar Ndao.

Through the deployment of West African Energy at Cap des Biches, Senelec is laying the foundations for a modernized, efficient and financially viable electricity system, capable of sustainably supporting the economic emergence of Senegal.