Page 15 - AfrElec Week 11 2021

AfrElec NEWS IN BRIEF AfrElec

utility is inviting expressions of interest from grants for the deployment of stand-alone solar of Congo. It was for the ceremony to lay the
independent power producers (IPPs) to build home systems.” foundation stone for the project to build a
the facility at a site yet to be determined. The bank said the project is expected to hybrid solar power plant. The installation,
“The call for pre-qualifications is aimed at contribute to human capital development by which will have a capacity of 3.4 MW, will
selecting a bidder with the skills, capacity and electrifying public health centers and schools. be built by Produits de construction de
experience to develop PV projects in Zambia, “For instance, it will apply in farming Brazzaville (Procob).
and willing to engage with GreenCo and communities which can use solar water The subsidiary of the Belgian company
the Zambian government on the evolution pumps for irrigation, solar milling equipment ABC Contracting will implement this
of the pilot project framework. It will have for product transformation and solar project in several phases. The solar part of
a significant demonstration effect on the refrigerators to bring products to market,” the the installation will cover a fenced area of
Zambian energy supply industry and serve World Bank said. 11 hectares. Procob will install 11,520 solar
as an example for future IPPs in Zambia and “The project will support the small and panels with a capacity of 6,480 kVa. The
the rest of the region where similar regulatory innovative business enterprises through solar installation of the solar power plant will take
changes are being introduced,” said GreenCo. home systems and will make an impact in 10 months. The cost of this installation has
The company selected at the end of the economic recovery, following the coronavirus not been revealed, but Procob estimates that
process will sign a power purchase agreement pandemic.” the thermal part of the project will require
(PPA) with GreenCo, which will then sell The World Bank had, in June 2020, an investment of 2.9bn CFA francs (4.42mn
the energy to industrial and commercial approved a $750mn loan through the IDA to euros).
customers. The start-up is supported by improve the reliability of electricity supply in Procob will also ensure the construction
InfraCo Africa, a company of the Private Nigeria. of a 20 kV evacuation line, as well as the
Infrastructure Development Group (PIDG), extension of the electricity distribution grid
as well as the Danish government’s Investment by at least 7.5 km. The Brazzaville-based
Fund for Developing Countries (IFU). company will rehabilitate and extend the
SOL AR existing low-voltage grid in the town of
Impfondo. The 3.4 MW hybrid solar power
Congo begins construction plant will be delivered before the end of
OFF- GRID December 2021. The entire project is being
financed by the Congolese public treasury.
World Bank to invest in of 3.4MW hybrid solar plant in the town of Impfondo. Households and
The project will secure access to electricity
The Congolese government has officially
ECOWAS off-grid launched construction work on a hybrid solar businesses in the main town of Likouala
power plant in Impfondo, in the Likouala
are supplied with electricity by generators
Nigeria is set to benefit from a $22.5mn department. The project has been entrusted belonging to the National Electricity
World Bank funding for the regional off-grid to Produits de construction de Brazzaville Company (SNE). However, for several years
electricity access project (ROGEAP) in West (Procob), the subsidiary of the Belgian now, the company has been struggling to
and Central Africa. company ABC Contracting. supply its generators with fuel. As a result, its
The World Bank said the intervention President Denis Sassou-Nguesso recently subscribers have had to suffer load shedding.
is in form of grants from the International visited Impfondo, in the Likouala department, Impfondo’s situation is symptomatic of the
Development Association (IDA) and the with a large delegation during his campaign situation in other Congolese localities.
Clean Technology Fund (CTF). for re-election at the head of the Republic
The World Bank said the project is
designed for Nigeria and 18 other countries
in West and Central Africa, 15 of which are
members of the Economic Community of
West African States (ECOWAS).
The countries are Benin, Burkina Faso,
Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana,
Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia and Mali.
The others are Niger, Nigeria, Senegal,
Sierra Leone, Togo, Cameroon, Central
African Republic, Chad and Mauritania.
“The project will support activities to
accelerate the deployment of stand-alone solar
products, in a sub-region where 50 percent
of the population does not have access to
electricity and where less than 3 percent of the
population uses such innovative technologies,”
the World Bank said.
“It seeks to harmonise policies and
standards and business procedures to develop
a regional market of stand-alone solar
products, support entrepreneurs in business
acceleration activities and provide credits and

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