The Bumbuna II hydroelectric project is a key part of the Government’s long-term Energy Strategy to provide more electricity to households and businesses across the country. The project is located on the Upper Seli River in the Northern Province of Sierra Leone and when complete, will provide reliable, affordable electricity all year round. The project is an expansion to the existing state-owned 50 MW Bumbuna hydroelectric project.
The Bumbuna II project is comprised of three main elements:
- An extension to the existing Bumbuna I facility that will add 84 MW of new generation
- A new dam 32 km upstream at Yiben that will add 55 MW of new generation and a storage reservoir that enables year round power production
- A 4 MW environmental flow powerhouse at the foot of the existing Bumbuna I dam
Once generated, the electricity will be distributed by a new 225 kV transmission line running from Yiben in the north of Sierra Leone, to Freetown in the West. This transmission line will also link up with the new Cote d’Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea (CLSG) extension, joining up with the West African Power Pool.
Bumbuna II is expected to provide significant local and national economic benefits, at the same time reducing the country's current power deficit and reducing its dependence on expensive and polluting oil-fired thermal power generation.
The Bumbuna II project will:
- Increase electricity supply of clean and reliable energy
- Provide much-needed year-round baseload power
- Meet peaking demand when required
- Provide electricity at an affordable tariff
- Provide training and jobs for local workers
