Wärtsilä, a global technology group, has secured a contract to supply engines and auxiliary equipment for a new power plant at the Boto gold mine in Senegal.

The contract, which includes the delivery of six Wärtsilä 32 engines, was awarded by Africa Power Services (APS).

French company APS is the main engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor for the power plant.

The contract marks a significant step for the recently acquired Boto mine by Managem, an international mining group with operations in eight African countries.

The 17MW power plant is poised to enhance the mine's energy infrastructure.

Wärtsilä booked the order in the first quarter of 2024 (Q1 2024) and it will be delivered on an engineered equipment (EEQ) basis.

Scheduled equipment deliveries are expected to be completed by December 2024, with the power plant's commissioning slated for Q1 2025.

Wärtsilä Energy Lifecycle business development manager Sameer Poredi said: “The configuration provides good flexibility and optimal performance of the power plant under varied load demands.

“Wärtsilä has a strong presence in Africa with its regional setup in Dakar effectively supporting the customers’ operations throughout the life cycle of their power plants.”

APS sales support head Romain Darracq said: “The mine is remotely located and has no connection to the grid. This power plant is therefore crucial for its operations, and we needed to find a partner capable of providing reliable supply of electricity.

“Wärtsilä's track record is outstanding and they were offering the best equipment and best delivery times for this fast-track project.”