(Yicai Global) Jan. 15 -- China CAMC Engineering has begun its engineering, procurement and construction contract for the Lom Pangar hydropower project in Cameroon after finally receiving the advance payment for the 32 month task.

The USD55.2 million project entails building power plant houses, booster stations and other facilities, as well as design work, procurement and equipment commissioning, the Beijing-based firm said in a statement yesterday. It expects the deal to enhance its power engineering market share in Central and West Africa.

CAMC won the bid for the plant in March 2016 and finalized the contract at the end of that year with Electricity Development in Cameroon. The pair held a groundbreaking ceremony in July 2017, but CAMC had not yet begun work as it was still waiting on a down payment.

The power plant is designed to have a capacity of 30 megawatts and will supply electricity to villages in the East Region of Cameroon, or l'Est, with cables spanning 120 kilometers. China International Water and Electric will build the station's dam, which will be able to store up to six billion cubic meters of water.

Editor: James Boynton