Albatros Energy Mali SA (AEM) is a company that has developed and built a thermal power plant with an installed capacity of 90 MW and a guaranteed capacity of 66MW.
The power plant is located in Kayes, Western Mali. This is the first independent energy project (IPP) to supply the national grid. The financial closure of the project was completed in June 2017. The financing of the project (€ 122 million) was structured at 30% equity (AIIF3, Redox Power Solutions, IFU and BWSC) and 70% senior debt (BID, ICD, BOAD, EAIF and OFID). The construction began in July 2017 and was completed in a record time of 15.5 months. The power plant was officially commissioned on November 1, 2018.
The power plant is made up of six (6) Caterpillar engines of 15 MW each, whose performance meets the most recent international environmental standards. The plant is expected to operate on a baseload basis, significantly increasing the total installed generation capacity in Mali, and can thus provide an essential stable electricity supply.
We have signed a 20-year Concession Agreement with the State of Mali and an Energy Purchase and Supply contract of the same duration with the company Énergie du Mali (EDM-SA). This project adds 25% to Mali’s current base power and generates enough electricity to power approximately 780,000 households.
AEM has around ten employees in Bamako and around 85 employees on site in Kayes. Albatros guarantees a safe working environment. Since the start of production on November 1, 2018 to date, no work accidents have been reported.
Finally, we have been implementing our own CSR activities since the construction and operation period in accordance with the five (5) major pillars agreed with the lenders and shareholders: Maternal and child health; access to drinking water and sanitation; basic education and training; economic development and job creation and ultimately reforestation.
Our desire is to set up structuring CSR projects in concert with local communities and meeting their needs. The result is therefore an appropriation of these projects by the natives.
MW installed capacity
months construction period
€ millions investment
medium speed cat16cm43 engines
- First IPP in Mali. Proven to be ground breaking for other energy projects in Mali and vital for the development of the renewable sector, which needs base load for stabilising the grid.
- The first Islamic financing (Ijara) for a private project in a francophone and sub-saharan African jurisdiction governed by French Law in combination with conventional financing. Financed by a currency mix of Euros and FCFA.
- First IPP in Francophone Africa where the debt service reserve account is guaranteed by a partial guarantee provided by GuarantCo.
The Albatros Energy base-load power plant is based on six (6) units of four-stroke medium speed engines, type 16CM43. The engines are of the well-known family of medium- speed diesel engines designed and supplied by Caterpillar Motoren GmbH & Co. KG, which has a long-standing experience in providing diesel engines for reliable base-load operation.
The selected engines are providing dependable power production and high availability ensuring optimal plant performance.
Albatros expects its employees, subcontractors and suppliers to upholding the highest environmental standards and pay a particular attention to several guidelines.
90 MW Thermal Power Plant in Kayes, Mali.
The Power plant is located at 12 km from the city of Kayes, in the village of Medine, less than 100km from the Senegalese border.