Wärtsilä Power Plant Upgrade & Extension Will Enable Production Expansion

The technology group Wärtsilä will supply an 18 MW extension to the power generating facility and upgrade the electrical and automation system of the existing power plant at the Sabodala-Massawa gold mine complex in Senegal, West Africa. The mine is owned by Endeavour Mining, a leading global gold producer. The upgrading and extension project will allow for the complete integration of all the site’s power generating capacity while ensuring the availability of the needed electric power to maintain and expand the mine’s production schedules.

The order with Wärtsilä was placed by Sabodala Gold Operations and it has been booked in Wärtsilä’s order intake in Q3 2022. The project will be delivered under a complete engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contract.

The Sabodala-Massawa mine is the largest producing gold mine in Senegal and is located in the eastern part of the country in the Kedougou region. Endeavor’s planned mine expansion will transform Sabodala-Massawa into a top-tier gold asset with incremental production.

“Wärtsilä has a depth of experience in delivering power solutions for mining operations around the world. Not being connected to the grid means that the captive plant has to be capable of providing a reliable supply of electricity at all times, since no power equals no production. The Wärtsilä 32 engines selected for this expansion project have established a strong reputation for high efficiency and reliability under even the most difficult ambient conditions, eliminating revenue losses from power shortages,” said Marc Thiriet, Energy Business Director, Africa West, Wärtsilä.

The three Wärtsilä 32 engines to be installed are 20 percent more fuel efficient than the plant’s existing engines. Their fuel efficiency minimizes the environmental impact by reducing harmful CO2 emissions. In addition to their outstanding performance, they have the flexibility to support a smooth transition to the integration of solar power and energy storage into the system. The upgrade of the electrical and automation system will optimize the interconnection and control of the existing power plant with the extension.

The project is expected to be completed and commissioned before the end of 2023.

Wärtsilä is Senegal’s leading provider of power generating equipment, and already has 543 MW of installed capacity in altogether 20 power plants in the country. 458 MW of this capacity is under Wärtsilä long-term service agreements.

Wärtsilä in brief

Wärtsilä is a global leader in innovative technologies and lifecycle solutions for the marine and energy markets. We emphasize innovation in sustainable technology and services to help our customers continuously improve their environmental and economic performance. Our dedicated and passionate team of 17,000 professionals in more than 200 locations in 68 countries shapes the decarbonization transformation of our industries across the globe. In 2021, Wärtsilä’s net sales totaled EUR 4.8 billion. Wärtsilä is listed on Nasdaq Helsinki. www.wartsila.com

Wärtsilä Energy in brief

Wärtsilä Energy leads the transition towards a 100% renewable energy future. We help our customers in decarbonization by developing market-leading technologies. These cover future-fuel-enabled balancing power plants, hybrid solutions, energy storage, and optimization technology, including the GEMS energy management platform. Wärtsilä Energy’s lifecycle services are designed to increase efficiency, promote reliability and guarantee operational performance. Our track record comprises 76 GW of power plant capacity and 110 energy storage systems delivered to 180 countries around the world. https://www.wartsila.com/energy