Equatorial Guinea - Energy and power

Installed power capacity in 2001 was 5,000 kW; production in 2000 totaled 22 million kWh, of which fossil fuels accounted for 91% and hydroelectric power for 9%. In 1983, China completed a hydroelectric plant near Bata, with installed capacity of 3,200 kW. The 3.6 MW Riabo River hydroelectric plant opened in 1989 and supplies most of the power on Bioko. As of 2002 a gasfired 4–6 MW plant was under construction on Bioko.

In the 1990s Equatorial Guinea emerged as an important oil producer in the Gulf of Guinea. The first exploratory offshore petroleum well was drilled in early 1982. In 1991, production was initiated from the offshore Alba gas condensate field in the Gulf of Guinea. Exports of oil began in April 1992. By mid-1999, production amounted to about 90,000 barrels per day. Equatorial Guinea's total oil production in 2001 averaged 181,000 barrels per day, a tenfold increase from 1996. Future oil production was estimated at 120,000–300,000 barrels per day following an oil discovery at the La Ceiba deep-water field in September 1999. A $450 million methanol plant on Bioko began production of natural in 2001.