France’s Vinci Energies has signed a contract worth €292m with the government of Benin, in West Africa, for the construction of electricity transmission and distribution infrastructures with financing supported by the French authorities.
Lasting three years and employing more than 900 people, the project sees Vinci build 500km of extra-high and high-voltage overhead and underground power lines, more than 1,000km of medium- and low-voltage distribution networks, and their connection to thousands of homes.
Seven extra-high-voltage transformer stations will also be built, and works will be done to extend the capacity of four existing high voltage stations.
Local teams will get training from Vinci Energies’ French and Moroccan subsidiaries.
The project covers eight of Benin’s 12 départements and will contribute to the country’s socio-economic development.
It supports a number of economic and industrial zones currently under development, including an airport, an administrative city, a hospital and new residential areas.
"In addition to our full mobilisation on the ground to ensure the technical success of this project, we have committed to training 300 young technicians while it is being completed," said Arnaud Grison, chairman and chief executive of Vinci Energies.Â
"We are very happy to be embarking upon this collaboration with the Benin authorities and with local communities, which will pave the way for a permanent foothold in Benin and will support the local economy with the jobs created. This is in fact the basis of our companies’ development model."
Image by Lukas Bato/Unsplash
