The Minister of Petroleum, Energy and Renewable Energies, Abdourahmane Cissé, this Friday, March 06, 2020, laid the foundation stone for the extension of the Azito thermal power plant (phase 4) with a capacity of production of more than 710 MW, in the village of Azito, in the commune of Yopougon-Abidjan.

With a total cost of 331 million euros, or nearly 217 billion CFA francs, financed largely by financial partners, this project will see the construction of a new combined cycle unit with a power of approximately 253 MW, composed of a 180 MW gas turbine and a 73 MW steam turbine, bringing the production capacity to more than 710 MW, i.e. nearly 30% of the total installed power in Côte d'Ivoire which amounted to 10,613 MWh at the end of 2019.

Welcoming all the stakeholders, in particular the technical and financial partners, the project company and the representatives of the State for the remarkable work accomplished, the Minister of Energy indicated that in accordance with the Government's ambition to make Côte d'Ivoire, the energy hub of the sub-region, a production capacity development plan has been drawn up to cover national needs and exports to countries in the sub-region, while respecting commitments in in the fight against climate change.

“Our production capacity has increased by approximately 60% since 2011 to stand today at 2,229 MW. The objective being to achieve a capacity of approximately 4000 MW over the next few years and an energy mix of 42% renewable energy by the end of 2030. (…) With regard to the National Rural Electrification Program (PRONER ), 919 localities were put into service from January to December 2019 out of a forecast of 917 localities, thus increasing the coverage rate from 69% in 2019 against 33% in 2011”, he noted.

The project will create about 2,000 direct and indirect jobs in the construction phase, and put emphasis on Ivorian SMEs in carrying out the work, said Abdourahmane Cissé.

On behalf of the financial institutions of the Azito thermal power plant, Saliou Maïga, West and Central Africa Regional Director of the International Finance Corporation (IFC), said that by supporting independent producers like Azito, the objective is to provide more households with access to reliable and affordable identity regulation. "The stone we are laying today marks 20 years of iconic partnerships," with a total of $750 million invested to date.


The phase 4 thermal power plant extension project will be carried out in two stages: first the commissioning of the gas turbine (reduction of CO2 emissions) in 2021, then that of the steam turbine in 2022.