TOTAL, the Republic of Benin and the Société Béninoise d’Energie Electrique (SBEE) have signed the Gas Supply Agreement and the Host Government Agreement for the development of a Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) import floating terminal and the supply of up to 0.5Million tonnes per annum (MMTPA) of regasified LNG from TOTAL’s global portfolio to Benin for 15 years, starting in 2021.
TOTAL will develop and operate the regasification infrastructure that will comprise a floating storage and re-gasification unit (FSRU) located offshore Benin and an offshore pipeline connexion to the existing and planned power plants in Maria Gléta.
The gas import project will supply plants in Benin, such as the new 127 MW power station at Maria Gléta, with imported liquefied natural gas, on preferential terms and will position Benin, capital of the WAPP (West African Power Pool), as the crossroads for gas and electricity in the subregion, the Beninois authorities say.
“This project is in line with TOTAL’s strategy to develop new gas markets by unlocking access to LNG for fast-growing economies. We are very pleased to have been entrusted by the Benin authorities to develop LNG imports and support a broad adoption of natural gas in the country,” notes Laurent Vivier, Senior Vice President Gas at TOTAL.
“Access to LNG will help Benin to meet growing domestic energy demand and add more natural gas to the country’s current energy mix, hence reducing its carbon intensity”.
Benin is one of the three countries that receive gas from the West African Gas Pipeline Company, but the authorities have complained, severally, that the supply is not only low, it is far from the contracted volume.
Dona Jean-Claude Houssou, Minister of Energy of Benin, says he congratulates TOTAL Group on its willingness to support the revitalisation of the country’s energy sector, “which is at the heart of the Government’s Action Plan (PAG)”.
He speaks of “the Government’s efforts to restore Benin’s energy independence, which is the foundation of the country’s ambitious economic and social development. The new legislative framework fosters the participation of private capital in the energy sector and is manifested in independent thermal, solar and hydroelectric power generation projects”.
