Senelec : la bataille entre fournisseurs chinois paralyse un projet stratégique de 4,8 milliards F CFA
The Senelec smart meter acquisition project, valued at 4.8 billion CFA francs, is currently stalled by a series of administrative appeals. This contract is nevertheless crucial for the Project to Improve Access to Electricity in Senegal (PADAES), financed by the World Bank, as highlighted by Les Échos.
Hexing: supplier and bidder
According to the same source, the breaking point came last June when the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (ARCOP) annulled the provisional award of the contract to Hexing. The public procurement watchdog ruled that the company was in a position of "judge and jury": already the supplier of Senelec's existing technical system (MDMS), Hexing was contractually obligated to assist in the integration of its own competitors' meters. These competitors were even required to pay Hexing for studies, a duality deemed unethical and contrary to the principle of equal treatment of bidders.
Senelec's resistance and Clou's choice
Despite ARCOP's injunctions, the daily newspaper reports, Senelec waited six months before reassessing the contract. During this new process, the national electricity company disqualified Hexing and Kaifa, but also eliminated Inhemeter, despite its lowest bid, citing prior technical difficulties. Senelec ultimately selected Clou, the third-ranked bidder.
A procedure once again suspended by ARCOP
This new decision, however, did not resolve the dispute. Following an appeal by Inhemeter, ARCOP decided on January 20th to suspend the procedure again pending a final verdict. Meanwhile, the battle is shifting to the courts: Hexing is preparing to appeal to the Supreme Court to challenge its exclusion.
Les Échos reports that this persistent blockage compromises the national objective of universal access to energy, thus threatening the horizon of total electrification planned for 2027. This case also reveals a certain fragility of the national private sector, since this multi-billion dollar battle exclusively pits Chinese firms against each other: Hexing, Inhemeter, Kaifa and Clou.
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