25 MW solar plant inaugurated in the Central African Republic
The Central African Republic (CAR) has inaugurated the Danzi solar power plant.
Image for illustration purposes.
Central African Republic, Bangui: The Central African Republic (CAR) has inaugurated the Danzi solar power plant.
President Faustin Archange Touadera presided over the ceremony aimed at addressing the country’s electricity challenges. The solar plant is only the second solar photovoltaic power station in the country, and it forms part of the broader initiative known as the Emergency Project for Access to Electricity (Puracell).
It is located in the village of Danzi, situated 20 km north of the capital Bangui, it covers a 70-hectare site and is equipped with 47,000 solar panels. The Chinese company Shanxi Construction Investment Group was responsible for installing the solar panels whose total capacity is 25 MWp. A sum of $61 million was invested in the project and the loan was provided by the World Bank.
The power plant is connected to a 30 MWh electricity storage system, while the generated electricity is fed into the grid of the state-owned company Energie Centrafricaine (ENERCA) via the existing 63 kV transmission line linking the Boali hydroelectric system to the capital Bangui.
The Puracell project aims to improve the supply of and access to electricity in the capital, Bangui, where a quarter of the country’s population lives. The electrification rate in Bangui is 35%, with an installed production capacity of 28 MW, while the unmet demand is estimated at around 60 MW.
The project also aims to enhance the transmission and distribution network to accommodate additional production capacity, including the Sakaï 15 MWp solar power plant commissioned in April 2023. The president said the government’s goal is to diversify electricity production sources, with a focus on developing hydroelectric, solar, and biomass potential.
Sourc: Pumps-Africa
#Central African Republic#Danzi#Puracell#Renewables#Shanxi Construction Investment Group#solar power plant