UNDP, NZ to support geothermal surface exploration on Comoros Islands
Chindini Beach at Comoros island. (Source: flickr, David Stanley, Creative Commons)
Francisco Rojas
25 Sep 2014
The meeting highlighted the necessary joint effort between all government departments to ease and remove any expected difficulty which may affect the implementation of Karthala geothermal prospect.
The African Union Commission (AUC) Department of Infrastructure and Energy conducted a Sensitisation visit in Comoros to discuss the AUC’s active involvement in the geothermal energy development in Comoros through the AUC Geothermal Risk Mitigation Facility (GRMF).
The main objectives for the sensitisation campaign to Comoros were to make necessary consultations between the AUC and the concerned authorities regarding challenges facing Comoros and the status of the project submitted in the framework of the 2nd application round to the GRMF, to discuss and to provide recommendations on mobilizing financial and technical support to geothermal development, to check the readiness of the concerned authorities in implementation of planned surface study at Karthala Geothermal Prospect and to increase visibility and awareness on the AUC role in the development of geothermal energy in the region.
The AUC delegation headed by Mr. Philippe NIYONGABO, Head of Energy Division and including Rashid Abdallah, energy expert and Georg Mayer, BGR, held meetings with H.E Abdou Nassur Madi, Minister of Production, Environment, Energy and Industry, Mr. Douglas Casson COUTTS, UNDP resident representative, Mr. Mougni Baraka Said Soililu, Governor of Grande Comores Island and Mr. Houmadi Naoildine Director of Bureau Geologique des Comores.
The Sensitisation visit to Comoros culminated in a site visit to the Karthala Geothermal Prospects to check the status of the infrastructure required such as access road. With geothermal reservoir temperatures of 250° to 350° C and depth of between 1000 – 1700 meters, Karthala is one of the most promising geothermal prospects once developed, which could solve the electric supply crisis in Grande Comores main island of Comoros.
Source: Press Release by African Union Commision
