Guinea-Bissau Joins Regional Power Grid to Strengthen Electricity Supply and Drive Development
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Guinea-Bissau has successfully connected to the sub-regional electricity grid shared with Senegal, The Gambia, and Guinea, significantly improving electricity reliability in its capital, Bissau. This development is part of a broader initiative led by the Organisation for the Development of the Gambia River (OMVG), aiming to enhance energy security and stability across member countries.
The interconnection is powered primarily by the Kaléta hydroelectric plant in Guinea, which has a capacity of 240 MW. While output can drop to 30 MW during the dry season, Guinea-Bissau now has the capacity to receive up to 80 MW, effectively meeting the electricity needs of Bissau and surrounding areas. Previously, half of the capital's energy came from a local thermal plant and the remainder from a Turkish power ship, which stopped operating in January 2025 in anticipation of the grid connection.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by Bissau-Guinean President Umaro Sissoco Embaló and Gambian President Adama Barrow, alongside ministers from Senegal and Guinea. This milestone marks a turning point for Bissau’s urban energy supply and offers a glimmer of progress in a country plagued by limited infrastructure, widespread poverty, and chronic political instability.
Despite this breakthrough, structural challenges persist. Much of Guinea-Bissau remains without access to electricity, and the national utility EAGB continues to face financial constraints. However, the grid connection lays a strong foundation for future investments in renewable energy and grid expansion.
This new energy link opens the door for public-private partnerships in energy distribution, infrastructure upgrades, renewable energy integration, and rural electrification. Investors in energy tech, grid modernisation, and development finance can now engage in projects supported by a more stable regional framework.
