Alstom to build 300-million-dollar power station in north Sudan

KHARTOUM, Dec 13 (AFP) — French company Alstom signed a 300-million dollar contract with the Sudanese government to build a hydroelectric power station at a dam in northern Sudan, executives said.

“This is the largest hydroelectric project Alstom takes up this year,” said the firm’s executive vice president Nick Salmon at a ceremony presided over by Sudanese President Omar al-Beshir.

Alstom “is proud to be associated with this project” and has donated eight million dollars for social programmes in the area, about 400 kilometres (250 miles) north of Khartoum, he added.

Executive Manager of the Merowe dam project Osama Adballah al-Hassan said the power station would double Sudan’s current electric power output.

The first two turbines will be ready by July 2007 and the entire dam completed by July 2008, said Hassan, who is also minister of state for irrigation.

Oman will finance the project to the tune of 106 million dollars, the Arab Fund for Social and Economic Development, 100 million dollars and Abu Dhabi Development Fund, 50 million dollars, as well as Khartoum, said Hassan.

He said the entire dam project would cost about 1.9 billion dollars, funded by China, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and Abu Dhabi, as well as Sudan.

The project would be financed in the form of loans that would be repaid after a five to seven-year grace period, said Hassan.

He said the dam would net around 250 million dollars per year, and force down consumer prices by 60 percent.