- An MOU has been signed between two Canadian companies, Windiga Energy and GoviEx Uranium Inc.
- Windiga is tasked with a feasibility study and if the results are favourable, GoviEx will then proceed with a Power Purchase Agreement with Windiga for the supply of electricity for an initial term of 21 years to the Madaouela mining site near Arlit, in northern Niger.
- The planed facility is a solar diesel hybrid plant with a capacity of 20Mw
Windiga Energy, a Canadian-based independent power producer focused on developing, owning and operating renewable energy facilities on the African continent, is planning to build a 20 MW hybrid diesel-solar power plant at the GoviEx Uranium Inc owned Madaouela mining site near Arlit, in northern Niger. The plant will be a solar hybrid diesel with a capacity of 20Mw.
The motivation for the new facility is to replace the dependent on traditional coal-fired options available in Niger with a cheaper renewable energy option. The mine expects to save 25% on its electricity bill. The cost of power produced by coal represents around 4% of the mine’s lifetime operating costs, according to GoviEx Uranium Inc.
In terms of the MOU signed, Windiga will conduct a feasibility study for the Madaouela project. If the results are favourable, GoviEx will then proceed with a Power Purchase Agreement with Windiga for the supply of electricity for an initial term of 21 years.
GoviEx company chairman Govind Friedland said: “The benefits of renewable, lower-cost energy are obvious, and we look forward to updating our stakeholders on the results of these studies.”
The Madaouela site has one of the largest sandstone-hosted uranium deposits in the world and a mining permit for extraction was awarded by the Niger government in early 2016. GoviEx intends to start mining at the site next year. For a site overview, click here.
Author: Bryan Groenendaal
