Mauritania shifts to private power with 550 megawatt gas plant, bids to start within weeks
PARIS, France -- Mauritania is accelerating its shift toward a fully privatized power generation model, with bids due in the next two to three weeks for a new independent power plant tied to the Greater Tortue Ahmeyim (GTA) gas project. The country's Minister of Petroleum and Energy, Mohamed Ould Khaled, made the announcement at the Invest in African Energy 2025 Forum in Paris on Tuesday.
'All new power generation projects in Mauritania will be private. State-owned companies will no longer be involved in power generation,' said the Minister. He added that two projects currently being developed as IPPs will be fueled by domestic gas and will contribute a combined 550 MW to the national grid over the next couple of years.
The power sector reform is part of a wider transformation aimed at enabling Mauritania to harness its significant gas and renewable energy resources to power industrialization, expand electricity access and drive inclusive growth.
'We want to develop large-scale natural gas and renewable energy resources. We want to expand affordable, clean power access to our people and industries and power inclusive economic growth, especially to unleash our mining potential.'
Mauritania currently has 57% energy access and aims to achieve full national coverage by 2030, according to the Minister. Gas from the GTA project – shared with Senegal – will play a central role in this transition, supplying enough fuel for a 250 MW combined-cycle power plant in each country during the project's first phase, he said.
The Minister described Mauritania as uniquely positioned for energy leadership on the continent and beyond, citing its combination of gas, solar, wind and strategic proximity to Europe. He also highlighted Mauritania's position as the African leader in green hydrogen project development, backed by newly modernized regulatory frameworks.
'Mauritania holds the largest pipeline of green hydrogen projects in Africa, which are designed not only to export molecules, but to catalyze industrialization in Mauritania and decarbonize hard-to-abate sectors. We have the potential to produce 12 million tons of green hydrogen production per year, with wind speeds of 10 meters per second and amazing solar.'
'To support this transformation, we have completely modernized our framework,' the Minister continued. 'We have opened up the electricity sector to private investments, introduced a new local content policy, and implemented new PPP and investment codes. Additionally, we have launched Africa's first green hydrogen code, which provides clarity and long-term stability for investors.'
Looking ahead, Mauritania's integrated energy vision includes the expanded development of the BirAllah gas field – another major deepwater discovery – along with subsequent phases of the GTA project to reach 10 million tons of LNG per year, cross-border electricity trade with neighboring countries and further development of its mining sector.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.
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