Chad has taken a step toward expanding its electricity generation capacity after Prime Minister Allah-Maye Halina received a delegation from Algerian energy utility Sonelgaz to discuss preparations for a new 40-megawatt power plant project.
The delegation, currently in the Chadian capital, is leading the preparatory phase of the project, which is expected to strengthen electricity supply in a country where power shortages remain a major constraint to economic development and industrial expansion.
According to a statement from Sonelgaz, the discussions in N’Djamena focused on technical and operational groundwork ahead of the plant’s construction and eventual commissioning.
The planned facility is expected to add 40 megawatts to Chad’s national grid, potentially easing chronic electricity deficits that have limited business activity, urban development and public service delivery.
Chad’s energy sector remains heavily underdeveloped, with large portions of the population lacking reliable access to electricity. Officials have increasingly turned to regional partnerships to close the infrastructure gap.
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The engagement with Sonelgaz reflects growing energy cooperation between Chad and Algeria, as North African energy firms expand their footprint across the continent.
Algeria, one of Africa’s largest electricity and gas producers, has been promoting technical partnerships and infrastructure investments in Sub-Saharan Africa as part of broader South-South cooperation initiatives.
For Chad, the project is part of a wider effort to improve energy access and attract investment by addressing one of the country’s most persistent infrastructure bottlenecks.
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While financial and construction timelines were not disclosed, the preparatory phase is expected to determine project design, funding structure and implementation modalities.
Energy analysts say even relatively small-scale generation projects like the 40 MW plant can have significant impact in low-capacity grids such as Chad’s, particularly when integrated into broader electrification plans.
The initiative also highlights increasing collaboration between African energy utilities as governments seek regional solutions to infrastructure challenges amid limited domestic financing capacity.
If successfully implemented, the project could contribute to improved electricity reliability in urban centres such as N’Djamena and support small-scale industrial activity in the country.
