On-site Engineer in the Spotlight: Interview with Vincent Libaud, Hydraulic and Civil Engineer

 

Vincent Libaud is a Hydraulic and Civil Engineer at Tractebel since 2012, he has been part of various hydraulic projects in Africa and Central Asia, in particular Rogun Hydropower Project in Tajikistan. In 2017 Vincent decided to move to Guinea to work as Dam Resident Engineer on the site of Souapiti Hydropower Project, he has enjoyed this experience so much that he extended his stay until end of 2020.

We took this opportunity to interview Vincent and ask him to share some highlights of his adventure.

  1.  What is your role of an on-site engineer?

In regards to Souapiti Hydropower Project, Tractebel is responsible for the supervision of the works performed by the contractor China International Water & Electric Corporation (CWE).

Within this framework, the role of an on-site engineer includes:

  • The review of construction drawings and the method statements
  • Quality control of the works according to the project requirements: design, specifications, norms and standards
  • Identification of any technical issues during the construction and ensure that the contractor implements the solutions to resolve them
  • Organisation of  meetings with stakeholders to monitor the progress of the works, discuss the technical and contractual issues

On-site engineers are essential to the success of a project, we control the day-to-day quality of the works and ensure the successful completion of the project. We also are key in building close relationships with the client representatives in order to better understand and respond to the clients’ specific needs.

  1. What are the skills of an on-site engineer?

Well, I would say that teamwork is vital. Good relationship with the team is essential considering that we are living together in a remote place.

Being curious is also key to success, the construction of a dam and a powerhouse involves many fields and specialties often with interfaces. It is also important to be reactive, being  able to identify and solve issues on time because the construction moves fast and every minute counts.

  1. Can you name some of the highlights you’ve experienced at Souapiti?

During these four years on site, I had the opportunity to participate in the construction of a 116m-high roller compacted concrete (RCC) dam and a powerhouse with 450 MW installed capacity (4 Francis turbines).

The scheme includes the creation of a large reservoir of approximately 6.2 billion cubic meters at the normal reservoir level to regulate the inflows of the Konkouré River. The reservoir filling from 2019 was really a highlight of the project taking into account the country's expectations for energy production.

From my first visit to Souapiti, I’ve seen an impressive 3.5 million cubic meters of concrete implemented to build the dam. It is rewarding to remember all efforts we have made to accomplish this masterpiece.

  1. From a social and cultural perspective, what do you enjoy the most or miss the most?

This experience has been very enriching from a cultural perspective, I have met and worked with people from various nationalities, but mostly Guinean and Chinese.

Souapiti is located in Maritime Guinea, one of the four regions in Guinea with Middle, Upper and Forest Guinea, each region has its own cultures and landscapes. 

My Guinean colleagues and friends belong to different ethnic groups, from Sousou, Fulani, Malinke, Baga, Toma, Kissi, among other, they have welcomed me as brother and they have embraced me with their rich culture during these four years.

Sometimes, the site conditions can be difficult with lack of clean water, the power cuts and the far distance from other places, but let’s say that this is all part of this adventurous experience.

I cherish great moments from life at Souapiti, in particular the soccer tournament with the workers and villagers, and my participation in the Chinese New Year show.

When it comes to food, I enjoy the delicious mangoes, bananas and avocados. I was also surprised by the very good French baguettes from my next-door baker. I have really missed French cheese with my baguette, luckily my kind French colleagues would bring some each time they visited the site.

 

 

 

Thank you Vincent for sharing your experience with us, we wish you a great continuation.

We thought it would be interesting to give you a bit of behind the scenes flavor, we look forward to sharing with you more about your experts.