Malé Camara, doctoral student, highlights the still under-exploited potential of the Upper Senegal River basin

A study which focuses on the identification of optimal sites for the establishment of micro-hydroelectric power stations in the Futa-Djallon basin. Its objective is to contribute to the electrification of areas still poorly served in Guinea. 

The title of his communication is clear: “Identification of optimal dam installation sites based on a digital terrain model (DEM)”. This work is part of a broader research project dedicated to the evaluation of potential sites for the establishment of micro-hydroelectric power plants in the Futa-Djalon basin of the Senegal River.

According to the doctoral student, this research responds to a major issue: the low access to electricity in Guinea. “The electrification rate in Guinea, especially in urban areas, is very low”, regrets Doctoral Student Camara Malé.

The Upper Senegal basin, which concerns Guinea, Senegal, Mali and the Gambia, has strong energy potential. According to the OMVS, the future network under construction will increase from 1,700 to 4,000 km in 2025 and will compensate for the current significant deficit in terms of access to electricity. The Guinean side plays a central role. “The Guinean part supplies the Upper Basin, but it still remains underexploited,” says Camara Malé.

A largely unexploited energy potential

The researcher's motivation is based on the valorization of this still little-used natural resource. “When we take the upper basin in terms of electrical potential, the Guinean part occupies 70%, and it still remains underexploited,” explains Doctoral Student Camara. The objective is therefore to show the strategic importance of this area and to pave the way for development projects.

A scientific approach centered on topography

To select suitable sites for micro-hydroelectric power plants, several criteria must be met. The study mainly focused on the topographical approach. “For a site to be designated for placing a hydroelectric dam, it must be topographically appropriate,” says Camara Malé.

Among the criteria studied are: “the unevenness of the land, the slope, the surface area available to mobilize a large quantity of water. » These parameters make it possible to identify areas capable of hosting suitable hydroelectric infrastructure. “We managed to find values that can allow us to install hydroelectric dams meeting the installation criteria,” he explains.

Beyond the identification of sites, the purpose of this research is clearly oriented towards improving access to electricity. “If we manage to build these micro-hydroelectric plants, this could serve as a basis for electrifying these urban areas,” said the researcher. The researcher places particular emphasis on remote and less-served areas. He also recognizes that remote areas are truly electrically impoverished.

A study intended to support public decision

The research is not limited to topographical analysis. It is part of a broader doctoral work also integrating the hydrological approach. “In my thesis, we use both approaches: topographic and hydrological,” says the researcher. Other criteria, notably environmental and linked to accessibility, will have to be studied subsequently.

The results will be made available to the authorities, according to the researcher. He is optimistic about the prospects for application. “If there are no environmental obstacles, there will be no reason not to build these micro-hydroelectric plants in the area,” he said. This study illustrates the desire of the Guinean scientific community to propose concrete solutions to the country's energy challenges.

This work was presented during the 2026 Scientific Days of the Gamal Abdel Nasser University of Conakry (UGANC). Through these Scientific Days, UGANC confirms its ambition: to make research a lever for innovation and sustainable development in Guinea.