GE Grid Solutions: Rising to the challenge of building a world that works with Benin substation projects

GE Renewable Energy’s Grid

Solutions business was recently awarded a contract of US$47 million for a substation project in Benin.

The nation’s biggest high-voltage substation contract has been awarded through Millennium Challenge Account Bénin II (MCA) and the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) – a United States foreign assistance agency established by the US Congress. This is a critical grid project as electricity access remains a challenge for Benin and total per-capita consumption is low due to limited access and availability. GE will provide a turnkey solution with design supply, civil work, local transportation and installation commissioning as part of the project. GE’s Grid Solutions will set up an office in Benin to provide training and skills through a local team.

The local team will be hired via subcontractors to directly impact the economy. The project builds on Grid’s continued commitment to Africa, where the business is also upgrading three 225 kV substations in Côte d’Ivoire. Announced last year, that project aligns with GE’s commitment to provide scalable power solutions in partnership with governments and utilities to meet West Africa’s growing energy needs.

“In recent years in Benin, there has been a lot of attention and investment in the country’s energy arena. The distribution of electricity to its citizens is a critical enabler to helping make dreams come true, to supporting their aspirations as they take on the challenges of daily modern life.”

Gabriel Degbegni, National Coordinator at the Millennium Challenge Account Bénin II (MCA)