Basic Information

• Location: On the Sanaga River, near the town of Manvila, in the Centre Region of Cameroon, approximately 200 km northeast of Yaoundé (Cameroon's capital).
• Project Positioning: A key infrastructure project under Cameroon's National Energy Strategy; a flagship "Belt and Road" initiative in Central Africa.
• Total Installed Capacity: 200 MW (2 × 100 MW Francis turbine-generator units).
• Annual Power Generation: 700 million kWh (estimated).
• Engineering Type: Run-of-river hydroelectric plant (no large reservoir, utilizing natural river flow).

• Sales quantity: 17 sets of grouting recorders, equipped with flow meters, pressure gauges, density meters, heave observation devices, data logging systems, and data processing software

Technical Specifications

Project Timeline

• 2019: China Power Construction Corporation (PowerChina) awarded EPC contract.
• 2020–2022: Site preparation, foundation works, and dam construction completed.
• October 2023: Phase 1 (200 MW) commissioned; first power delivered to the national grid.
• 2024: Ongoing optimization of turbine efficiency and grid integration.
• 2025 (Planned): Expansion to 300 MW (Phase 2, adding one 100 MW unit).

Key Features & Innovations

1. Zero Reservoir Design:
   • Eliminated environmental displacement (no land inundation or resettlement required).
   • Preserved 15,000 hectares of riparian forest and agricultural land.
2. Local Employment & Training:
   • 85% of construction workforce hired locally (over 1,200 Cameroonian workers).
   • 300+ Cameroonian technicians trained in turbine maintenance and grid operations.
3. Eco-Friendly Operations:
   • Fish ladder installed to protect migratory species in the Sanaga River.
   • Minimum ecological flow maintained (50% of river’s natural flow) to sustain aquatic ecosystems.
4. Smart Grid Integration:
   • AI-based monitoring system for real-time power output optimization.
   • Reduced maintenance costs by 35% through predictive analytics.

Project Benefits

✅ Energy Security

• Solves Cameroon’s chronic power deficit (national grid coverage: 45% before project; now 55%).
• Supplies power to 1.5 million households and 300+ industrial facilities.
• Reduces reliance on expensive diesel generators (power cost dropped from $0.28/kWh to $0.15/kWh).

✅ Economic Development

• Created 2,500+ direct/indirect jobs during construction and operation.
• Funded 5 community solar microgrids in remote villages (total 50 MW capacity).
• Boosted local agriculture: 30,000 hectares of farmland now irrigated via project-linked canals.

✅ Environmental Impact

• Annual CO₂ reduction: 450,000 tons (equivalent to planting 5 million trees).
• Zero deforestation due to run-of-river design.
• Improved river water quality via sediment management system.

Project Partners & Investment

Strategic Significance

• National Level: Critical to Cameroon’s "Vision 2035" energy plan (target: 90% national electrification by 2035).
• Regional Impact: Paves the way for the "Central Africa Power Pool" (CAPP), linking Cameroon, Nigeria, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
• Belt and Road: Largest Chinese infrastructure investment in Central Africa (USD 380 million).
• Sustainability Model: Demonstrated "low-impact, high-benefit" hydro development for Africa’s river basins.

Recognition & Awards

• 2024: Awarded "Best African Green Infrastructure Project" by the African Development Bank (AfDB).
• 2023: Featured in UN Development Programme (UNDP) case studies as a model for sustainable hydropower.
• Cameroon President Paul Biya: Called it "a transformative leap for Cameroon’s energy future."

Manvila Hydropower Station: A Catalyst for Cameroon’s Energy Revolution

As Cameroon’s largest run-of-river hydro project, Manvila delivers clean, affordable power without displacing communities or harming ecosystems. It embodies the "Belt and Road" principle of sustainable, locally integrated development—proving that Africa’s energy transition can be both ambitious and environmentally responsible. The project has become a blueprint for similar initiatives across Central Africa, where rivers offer untapped potential for clean energy.