Name and location
West Africa Power Pool (Wapp) project. The project is an initiative of the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) region.

Project description
The proposed Wapp is a long-term effort intended to facilitate the development of an efficient power market in the West Africa region, in order to foster regional integration, reduce electricity costs, alleviate poverty, and promote the use of environmentally cleaner fuels for power generation. It represents a unique opportunity to improve the economic competitiveness of the subregion, supports, in a concrete way, economic and political cooperation, and also promotes cleaner fuels.

The Ecowas countries have been divided into two main zones. Zone A includes Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Niger, Nigeria and Togo. Zone B includes Cape Verde, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Senegal and Sierra Leone.

The proposed Wapp priority interconnections include, in phase 1, the 330-kV Sakété-Ikeja West line-Ougadougou line (Burkina Faso), and the 330-kV Aboadze-Volta line (Ghana).
In phase 2, priority interconnections include the 330-kV Aboadze-Prestea line (Ghana); the 330-kV Volta-Momé Hagou-Sakété line (Ghana-Benin/Togo-Nigeria); the 225-kV Ferke-Sikasso and 150-kV Sikasso-Ségou line (Côte d'Ivoire-Mali); the OMVG loop (Senegal, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea) and the national control centres (Burkina Faso, Ghana, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Nigeria and Senegal).

Other Wapp projects include the 225-kV Bumbuna-Linsan line (Sierra Leone-Guinea); the 225-kV Kayes-Tambacounda line (Mali- Senegal); the 225-kV Sikasso-Bamako line (Mali); the 225-kV Ghana-Burkina Faso interconnection; the 330-kV Nigeria-Niger- Burkina Faso interconnection; and the 225-kV Côte d'Ivoire-Guinea - Mali interconnection.

Value
The estimated cost of the project is $11-billion.The World Bank has approved funding worth $350-million.

The first $40-million will be provided through the International Development Association, and will assist the Republic of Ghana in developing the first phase of the Coastal Transmission Backbone project of Wapp.

Duration
The programme will be carried out in phases over a 15 to 20 year period. The first phase will be implemented from 2004 to 2007, the second phase between 2007 and 2011, and the final phase from 2011 onwards.

Breakdown of main contracts
None stated.

Client
Ecowas.

Latest developments
Construction is in progress at the Sakété-Ikeja West line. The project is being implemented in four lots. The deadline for the submission of tenders for the Bobo Dioulasso-Ougadougou line was in September, 2006. The upstream works on the 90-kV to 33-kV medium-voltage network around Ouagadougou, and the rural electrification of five localities along the length of the line are being financed by Nordic Fund, together with a consortium of Danish financiers and Sonabell. Commissioning of the project is now expected in the second or third quarter of 2008. At the OMVG project, the detailed engineering design studies, including environmental studies and the preparation of tender documents are in progress. The expected commissioning of the first phase is 2010.

Participants
The project is supported by Ecowas and the 15 member countries, and by the following donors: the African Development Bank, the Agencé Française de Développement, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and USAID. The project has been endorsed by the New Partnership for Africa's Development and is part of its agenda.

The donors have set up a coordinating group and are meeting every quarter.

Construction materials
Not stated.

On budget and on time?
Not stated.

Contact details for project information
Wapp, tel +229 21 37 41 95,
fax +229 21 37 41 96 or
email info@ecowapp.org.