Lekela mulls 100MW extension to Senegal’s first onshore wind farm

The owner of west Africa’s first utility-scale wind farm is considering a 100MW extension to the 158.7MW project.

Developer Lekela and the US-based International Development Finance Corporation will fund a feasibility study into the planned expansion.

Lekela’s 158.7MW Taiba N’Diaye Taiba N’Diaye (158.7MW) OnshoreThiès Region, Senegal, Middle East & Africa Click to see full details onshore wind farm delivered first power to the grid in late 2019 and was completed earlier this year.

The wind farm consists of 46 of Vestas’s V126-3.45MW turbines.

The study covers an area west of the existing wind farm and will consist of a wind measurement campaign, a grid study, an environmental impact study and other onsite surveys.

Chris Antonopoulos, chief executive officer at Lekela said, “This study represents an exciting opportunity to continue the expansion of wind power in Senegal and provide more clean, reliable energy to local people.”

Earlier this year, Lekela was awarded funds for a feasibility study into installing a battery energy storage system at the wind farm.