Burundi’s first utility-scale solar power plant
Burundi, Gitega. Burundi introduces first utility-scale solar power plant, with new hydropower plants under way.
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Burundi, Gitega: Burundi introduces first utility-scale solar power plant, with new hydropower plants under way.
Gigawatt Global developed the 7.5 MW solar power plant at Mirambi Hill near Burundi’s capital of Gitega. The country’s first utility-scale solar power plant, Mubuga Solar Power Project, was inaugurated last week by Burundi’s president, Évariste Ndayishimiye. The new solar plant has over 25,000 solar panels covering an area of over 12 hectares and will increase the country’s power capacity by 10 %, providing energy to about 90,000 people and businesses.
President Ndayishimiye and Gigawatt Global’s CEO Yosef Abramowitz discussed plans to expand the solar plant’s generating capacity and double the amount of energy generated.
Burundi is the least electrified country globally with an energy access rate of 11.7 %, with a total installed generation capacity of only 55 MW. According to Burundi’s Vision 2040, there are plans to increase rural electrification rates and clean energy contribution to the energy mix to 80 %. This is to be done by developing key hydropower and solar power projects.
The World Bank is financing the development of the Jiji and Mulembwe Hydropower Projects, two hydro plants with a combined capacity of up to 48 MW. It is expected that they will supply electricity at $0.1 per kWh.
Source: Energy Utilities
#Burundi#clean energy#electrification#hydropower plant#solar power plant#Vision 2040