This year marks the 10th anniversary of the “One Belt, One Road” initiative . Over the past ten years, the “One Belt, One Road” initiative has never forgotten its original aspirations, braved wind and rain, and overcame obstacles. It has moved from vision to reality, forming more than 3,000 cooperation projects, driving nearly one trillion U.S. dollars in investment, and creating “national landmarks” one after another. “Monument of Cooperation” has become a popular international public product and international cooperation platform.
Whether the initiative is good or not and whether the project is realistic or not, the participating countries and people have the most say. Recently, more than 80 journalists from 70 developing countries came to China to interview Chinese construction agencies and participants of the “Belt and Road” project. They used on-site reports to vividly tell the true story of the joint construction of the “Belt and Road” .
This article is a summary of a Gambian reporter ‘s interview with the person in charge of the power transmission and transformation modernization project in the Banjul area of ??TBEA.
In the 10 years since the Belt and Road Initiative was proposed, it has effectively strengthened connectivity, trade and international cooperation among all continents around the world. Thanks to the cooperation in building the “Belt and Road”, Gambia’s infrastructure has been greatly improved. The Gambia has long struggled with power shortages, with frequent voltage instability and blackouts seriously hampering local economic development. In 2020, the National Hydropower Company of The Gambia signed a power transmission and transformation modernization project contract with TBEA in the Greater Banjul area, aiming to promote the construction of power facilities in The Gambia and improve the level of local power modernization.
The person in charge of the TBEA project said that the power transmission and transformation modernization project in the Greater Banjul area mainly involves the construction and upgrading of substations, transmission lines and power grid dispatching and control systems. In terms of substations, the project will build a 225kV Jaban substation and a 33kV Ketu substation, as well as upgrade and expand three substations in the greater Banjul area. In terms of transmission lines, the project will build a 17.5-kilometer-long 225kV Brikama-Jaban transmission line, as well as a 20-kilometer-long 33kV transmission line in the capital area. In addition, the project will build Gambia’s first national intelligent dispatch control center in Brikama, and replace 52 sets of old 11kV distribution substations in the entire greater Banjul area of ??the capital to achieve electrification replacement and upgrading. The project is currently progressing smoothly, with 90% of the progress completed, and all facilities are expected to be put into operation by the end of 2023.
The person in charge of the Gambia National Hydropower Company pointed out that the transformers of at least three main substations of the power transmission and transformation modernization project in the Greater Banjul area are already in place. After installation is completed, the capacity of the main substation will be doubled, solving the current power curtailment problem that still exists in some areas.
China’s firm support for Gambia under the “Belt and Road” initiative has been praised and recognized by the Gambian people. The third “Belt and Road” International Cooperation Summit Forum was held in Beijing, coinciding with the 10th anniversary of the “Belt and Road” initiative. This summit forum focused on promoting green and inclusive growth and discussed incorporating environmental and social considerations into project planning and implementation. We look forward to the cooperation in jointly building the “Belt and Road” to promote greater development of Gambia-China relations.
“One Belt, One Road” little knowledge
The Greater Banjul Area Power Transmission and Transformation Modernization Project is one of the important measures taken by the Gambian government to implement the national development plan and the 2025 energy planning roadmap. The project is jointly participated by the World Bank, The Gambia, China, France, Spain and other countries and international organizations. It demonstrates the strong synergy of the international community in supporting the national development of The Gambia, is a model of international cooperation, and also demonstrates the values ??and development outlook contained in the “One Belt, One Road” initiative. The completion of the project will ensure the stability of the power grid in the capital area of ??The Gambia and the joint dispatching between various substations, expand the power coverage in the capital area, thereby promoting the economic development of the capital area of ??The Gambia and the improvement of social and people’s livelihood.
