PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The objective of the Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Project is to take advantage of the significant rainfalls that characterized the Mambilla Hills, with a yearly average above 1900 mm, cumulated with the southern margin of the Mambilla plateau that lies 1,000 m above the surrounding areas and gradients above 20 %.. To make use of these natural resources of the highlands for power generation, the Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Project was conceived, with the headrace scheme located above the Mambilla highlands to capture, store and convey flow from the Donga River to supply a power plant complex located at the toe of the plateau.

The designed backbone power scheme comprised a headrace scheme from three successive dam reservoirs linked by two transfer tunnels to convey the flow; the last reservoir crossing Nguh River and located at the top of the margin plateau. The turbines are set in an underground power complex built at the toe of the Mambilla highlands escarpment are fed from Nguh reservoir by twin pressure waterways, tunnels/shafts. The generated power would be evacuated from the power plant to the national grid through several high voltage 330 kV transmission lines.

When completed, MAMBILLA HPP will be one of the largest hydroelectric Project in Africa and similar in size to Inga 3 on the Congo River in the DRC under design and Renaissance Project on the Blue Nile in Ethiopia under construction.