The Bedden Hydropower Project is a strategic national power generation initiative aimed at significantly increasing South Sudan's domestic electricity supply through large-scale renewable energy development.
The project is expected to strengthen energy security, reduce reliance on costly thermal generation, improve reliability of electricity supply in key load centers, and support long-term national grid expansion and potential regional power trade.
The Bedden Hydropower plant is a flagship initiative by the government of South Sudan. It is situated approximately 65km upstream from Juba. The scheme targets an installed capacity of around 540 - 570 MW.
First mapped out in detailed energy-sector roadmaps from around 2009, Bedden was identified as a key long-term priority alongside other major hydropower sites on the Bahr El Jebel such as Fula, Lakki, and Shukoli.
The project underwent feasibility and environmental impact assessments, and a conceptual EPC (Engineering, Procurement, and Construction) was prepared in 2013.
The plant design envisions a 32m high concrete gravity dam reaching a height of roughly 65m with a reservoir crest length of around 5km and an effective hydraulic head of approximately 30m. Once operational, it would substantially alleviate grid constraints in and around Juba and possibly feed power into the broader national grid and regional interconnections.
The objective of the Bedden Hydropower Plant is to expand South Sudan's domestic electricity generation capacity through large-scale renewable hydropower development, thereby strengthening energy security, improving supply reliability, supporting national grid expansion and electrification, and enabling future regional power trade