In a move to supercharge Madagascar’s hydropower capacity, energy and property developer Groupe Filatex has embarked on a new joint venture with France’s Hyvity, a leading hydroelectricity company.
The newly christened enterprise, ENHY, is poised to develop and regenerate medium-sized hydroelectric facilities.
In the initial stages, an additional 100MW is set to be integrated into the Malagasy power grid by 2028’s close. Over the coming decade, ENHY aims to amass a 300MW development portfolio, a substantial 50% capacity increase for Madagascar’s national power network.
Presently, ENHY is engaged in a pair of projects in the Antsirabe region. These endeavours, boasting a total capacity of 20MW, have the potential to triple to 60MW once grid enhancements are implemented to accommodate the surge.
Hasnaine Yavarhoussen, Groupe Filatex’s Chief Executive, highlighted the environmental benefits, saying: “For each electricity unit generated by hydro rather than oil, carbon emissions are slashed by 99%. ENHY’s blend of Malagasy knowledge and French technical prowess will ignite a transformation of the Malagasy energy sector, extending electricity accessibility to millions of Madagascar’s inhabitants.”
In addition to fortifying the region’s hydroelectric potential, ENHY plans to collaborate with the national utility and water services company JIRAMA, to modernise the country’s electricity grid and augment network adaptability.
Simon Collot, CEO of Hyvity, stressed that Madagascar’s hydroelectric capacity is copious. Harnessing this will trigger infrastructure and land development, using a blend of local and global expertise to contribute to Madagascar’s sustainable progression.
The World Bank indicates that Madagascar‘s access to infrastructure, including electricity and digital, ranks among the lowest globally and in Sub-Saharan Africa. Roughly 33.7% of the population has access to electricity, compared to the Sub-Saharan Africa average of 48.4% in 2020.
In a related move, the World Bank issued a $400 million credit in April 2023 to escalate renewable energy development and broaden energy accessibility.
