Niger inaugurates new power plant to ease electricity cuts

In Niger, residents of the capital Niamey have become accustomed to daily power outages. Electricity rationing has been a persistent challenge since the July 2023 coup.

But the situation now appears to be moving toward a temporary solution, with the launch of the Niger-Algeria solidarity power plant.

The facility was officially launched by Nigerien Prime Minister Ali Mahamane Lamine Zeine and his Algerian counterpart, Sifi Ghrieb. It was fully financed and built by Algeria in just 70 days through an air cargo bridge operation.

The region where Niger's capital is the largest consumer of electricity in the country, with demand estimated at 200MW.

Using a mix of sources such as uranium, coal and solar, Niger has set out plans to become a regional energy powerhouse.

Plans for a 2,000-megawatt nuclear power plant and a 200-megawatt coal-fired power station are in advanced stages.