JESA, Morocco’s largest engineering group, will improve and expand electricity transmission and distribution infrastructure in Senegal.
Rabat – Morocco’s largest engineering group, JESA, has been awarded the mission of Consultant Program Management and Environmental and Social Management on behalf of the Senegalese government.
JESA, in partnership with international engineering and environmental consulting firm Antea Group, is to contribute their engineering, environmental, and social expertise toward strengthening and modernizing Senegal’s electricity transmission and distribution infrastructure.
The five-year project, titled “Expanding access to electricity in rural and peri-urban areas,” will benefit low-income and underserved businesses and households. JESA’s efforts will primarily focus on Dakar, the country’s capital, addressing approximately 60% of the country’s electricity demand and around 20% of its total population. The project will also expand to regions in central and southern Senegal.
The partnering organizations will provide project management support and review engineering designs, aiming to reduce the risk of incidents leading to power cuts and ensure adherence to environmental standards. Expanding the supply and demand for electricity within the country is also one of the program’s priorities.
The award itself is part of bilateral cooperation between the United States and Senegalese governments, initiated in 2018. The formal agreement between the two countries consists of a $550 million grant from the US and $50 million from Senegal, put toward long-term capacity-building projects.
The Senegalese government has developed the Formulation and Coordination Unit (UFC) as part of the cooperative programming. Within the unit, groups can propose projects and apply for financing under the Millenium Challenge Account (MCA).
JESA, headquartered in Casablanca, has offices or engineering facilities in Rabat and across five different countries. The engineering group is active throughout Africa, specializing in engineering, consulting and project management, and town planning.
Working in various fields, JESA is best known for its contributions to transport infrastructures, sanitation, water and environment, energy, building, mines and minerals, chemistry, and phosphates.
The company, with approximately 2,000 employees, prides itself on its business model which combines global expertise with local project delivery.
In a recent press release, JESA reported that being selected for the program grant “reinforces JESA’s strong ambition to contribute to the development of energy infrastructure in Africa with a desire to strengthen local capacities over the long term. It testifies to the growing success of JESA’s expansion strategy in Africa, as a major continental player in engineering, project management, and consulting.”
Read also: UN Votes Moroccan Innovation Best COVID-19 Protection for Farmers
