IVORY COAST: THIRD STAGE OF MULTI-MILLION POUND KOSSOU HYDRO-ELECTRIC PROJECT UNDERWAY

Record ID: 183241

  • Title: IVORY COAST: THIRD STAGE OF MULTI-MILLION POUND KOSSOU HYDRO-ELECTRIC PROJECT UNDERWAY
  • Date: 26th September 1970
  • Summary: 1. GTV Excavating equipment at dam site. 0.16 2. GV equipment clearing and levelling (3 shots) 0.34 3. SV Quarrymen drilling at rock face. 0.42 4. SV PAN Excavation area. 0.43 5. SV Rock being loaded into lorry. 1.01 6. SV Bulldozer clearing earth (2 shots) 1.18 7. SV Conveyor equipment on site. 1.28 8. SV Construction equipment by river. 1.33 9. SV Temporary bridge over river. 1.41 10. SV Excavator clearing rock. 1.55 11. GV Quarry site TILT to spillways in rock face. 2.06 12. SV Workmen working by spillways (3 shots) 2.21 13. SV PAN from dam site to river. 2.32 Initials JB/AS/APK/0032 JB/AS/APK/??? Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 11th October 1970 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: KOSSOU DAM, IVORY COAST
  • Country: Ivory Coast
  • Reuters ID: LVA5E7NLQOKVQN5NTKY2X2P4IRCK
  • Story Text: Work on the Kossou Dam, one of the biggest and most important projects in the Ivory Coast, has entered the third stage.

    The multi-million pound (dollar) scheme will greatly increase the amount of electric power available in the country as well as providing other benefits including a dependable and controlled supply of water for communities, irrigation, for commercial fishing, and increased areas for water transport.

    The construction work is planned in six stages and the project is scheduled to be completed early in 1973.

    The site chosen for the project is on the ivory Coast's major river, the Bandama Blanc, and is about 190 miles (300 kms) north-west of the capital of Abidjan. It was chosen after surveys to determine the hydroelectric potential of the two major rivers and a feasibility study of possible sites.

    To finance the massive projet the Ivory Coast negotiated loans from the United States Export-Import Bank, and from an Italian group, totalling more than 26 million pounds (70 million dollars).

    President Houphouet-Boigny of the Ivory Coast officially began the project at a ceremony in November last year.

    The principal features of the project are an earth and rock dam across the river, and a nearby power plant and transmission system. During construction of the dam the river will be channelled through the centre portion of the dam as work progresses on either side. When the river drops to its low point after the summer and autumn floods, the centre section will be filled in and construction will keep ahead of the slowly rising water.

    The initial stages of the project included construction of the camp site for the dam clearing of the dam site, excavations for the dam and powerhouse.
    The stage now underway includes continuing excavation of the spillway, as well as clearing and preparing foundations for sub-stations.

    The Kossou Dam will almost double the total electrical power capacity of the Ivory Coast, and despite the rapidly growing demand for power, it is expected to be able to supply the demands until the mid 1980's.

    It is also hoped that the other benefits of irrigation, community water supplies, the development of a lake fishing industry and water transportation, will reduce the rate of migration to the industrial complex of Abidjan, which is adversely affecting the country's rural development.
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