Senegal’s Diamba Sud Gold Project has secured a 14MW captive power plant from Wärtsilä, marking a infrastructure commitment as the Canadian miner advances one of West Africa’s emerging gold developments towards a targeted first gold pour in 2028.
Supplying the grid from scratch
Technology group Wärtsilä will provide five Wärtsilä 32 engine generating sets for the operation, located in a remote area of southeastern Senegal. The order was placed by Africa Power Services, the engineering, procurement and construction contractor for the power plant, on behalf of Fortuna Mining. Wärtsilä booked the contract in its second‑quarter 2026 order intake.
Equipment is scheduled for delivery in March 2027, with the power plant expected to become operational before the end of that year. The arrangement ensures Diamba Sud will rely on its own infrastructure rather than conventional grid supply.
Power will arrive in 2027.
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According to Wärtsilä, using several smaller engine generating sets instead of a single large unit enables the plant to adjust more closely to fluctuations in electricity demand. This configuration also provides the operational flexibility required to integrate intermittent renewable energy sources in the future, a capability Fortuna Mining has indicated could be introduced into the Diamba Sud microgrid later.
Powering a large‑scale development
The power station represents more than an ancillary component of the development. Fortuna has identified power infrastructure among the critical packages required to maintain the Diamba Sud construction schedule, which targets a first gold pour before the end of the second quarter of 2028.
Cedric Fernandez, Managing Director at Africa Power Services, said reliable power is essential for a remote mine because unscheduled downtime creates both operational and financial risks.
“Operating a remote, off‑grid mine requires reliable power, as any unscheduled downtime carries financial and operational risks. Wärtsilä’s engines deliver the continuous performance required for such demanding conditions.”
Fortuna Mining’s June 2026 feasibility study estimated initial capital expenditure of approximately $398 million for the project.
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Based on the feasibility‑study assumptions, Diamba Sud is expected to produce approximately 1.05 million ounces of gold during its operating life. Average annual production is estimated at approximately 116 000 ounces, with production expected to be substantially higher during the early years of the mine.
Fortuna forecasts average annual production of around 158 000 ounces during the first four years.
Probable mineral reserves were estimated at approximately 20.5 million tonnes grading 1.75 grams of gold per tonne, containing around 1.15 million ounces of gold. Using an assumed gold price of $3,500 per ounce, Fortuna’s feasibility study calculated an after‑tax net present value at a 5 % discount rate of approximately $1.01 billion and an internal rate of return of about 60 %.
These figures are project estimates rather than guaranteed future financial results. Actual performance will depend on factors including gold prices, construction execution, operating expenses, financing, regulatory approvals and geological conditions.
