Bumbuna Hydroelectric Project, Sierra Leone

The Bumbuna Hydroelectric Project is located on the Seli River, about 350 km from Freetown in Sierra Leone. This project was conceived to harness the abundant water resources of the region and reduce dependence on fossil fuels. Despite technical and financial challenges, the project marked an important step forward for Sierra Leone's energy infrastructure. In addition to improving access to electricity, the Bumbuna Dam has the potential to support local economic development through irrigation and other related activities.

From a technical standpoint, it features a rockfill dam with a bituminous concrete upstream face, two diversion tunnels with a diameter of 9 m, two spillway shafts with a discharge capacity of 3000 m³ per second, and an intake structure.

The project is completed by a power plant at the dam's base, fed by the right tunnel, electromechanical works, and two turbine-generator units of 25 MW each.