The energy crisis affecting Greater Libreville is manifested by rotating power outages lasting an average of two hours per day, imposed by the Gabonese Water and Energy Company (SEEG) as a “last resort.” This structural imbalance pits a growing electricity demand of nearly 5% per year against an insufficient supply, impacting households and economic activity. SEEG, the public utility concessionaire, has identified aging infrastructure and a lack of past investment as the main causes, with increased pressure on Libreville’s interconnected grid weakening the entire system.
To address this situation, SEEG is currently implementing a three-year emergency plan for gradual recovery, covering 2025-2028. This ambitious program focuses on rehabilitating facilities and strengthening production and transmission capacities, aiming for a significant improvement in the quality of supply. Among the priorities, repairing the 90 kV underground cable linking Bisségué to Ambowè will relieve the strain on the 90 kV overhead line, which is currently operating beyond its capacity, and restore a normal power supply to Akanda. This will help reduce localized power outages.
Meanwhile, sources at SEEG indicate that the modernization of transmission infrastructure is progressing with the installation of an overhead Aluminium Conductor Composite Core (ACCC) cable between the Owendo thermal power plant and the Bisségué substation. This advanced technology will more reliably and continuously transmit approximately 160 MW, reducing losses and increasing transmission capacity, and it will resist corrosion for greater stability in the face of rising domestic and industrial demand.
In parallel, SEEG is strengthening production through the renewal of the Owendo thermal power plant, with the acquisition of new gas turbines that inject ” an additional guaranteed 100 MW of power .” These structural investments demonstrate the company’s commitment to transforming crisis management into a sustainable dynamic, centered on modern and efficient equipment.
SEEG’s clear ambition is to ” sustainably secure Libreville’s interconnected grid, guarantee the continuity of public electricity service, and restore user confidence .” This three-year plan marks a strategic turning point, shifting from an emergency response to a gradual recovery that strengthens the grid’s reliability and rebuilds trust and dialogue with affected communities.
