Kepco wins consultancy deal

Korea’s power corporation said yesterday it has won two consulting contracts for the building of electric lines in western Africa. The $2.5 million deal between Korea Electric Power Corp. and the West African Power Pool calls for feasibility, basic construction and environmental impact studies on a planned power line linking Benin, Ghana and Mali.
The 225-kilovolt power line will span roughly 800 kilometers (497 miles). The power pool, an organization under the Economic Community Of West African States, is aimed at expanding regional cooperation to facilitate the buildup of electricity infrastructure. Its membership consists of 14 West African countries.
Korea Electric Power Corp. said it took part in the bidding process in May, beating rivals from Germany and France. The project is being financed with money from the Luxembourg-based European Investment Bank. It said this is the second power consulting deal won by the power company since the 2005 electricity master plan deal for Cambodia.
The contracts position the company to compete for similar deals for a 300-kilovolt line being supported by the World Bank for the Ghana power line as well as a 225-kilovolt Ghana-Burkina Faso electrical power project. Korea Electric Power Corp. Senior Vice President Moon Ho and African power cooperative Chairman Joseph Makoju signed the contract.
Yonhap