Chad gets financing for large scale solar-plus-storage project

The African Development Bank has provided an €18 million loan and a partial risk guarantee for the first, 32 MW phase of a 60 MW solar power project under development in Chad.

The Djermaya project is planned in N’Djamena, Chad’s capital, and holds a 25-year power supply deal with national utility Société Nationale d’Electricite.

British power plant developer Aldwich International Limited and independent power producer Smart Energies will develop the projects under a private-public partnership with the utility and the Chadian government.

The interconnection infrastructure includes a 33 kV overhead transmission line, two 33/90 kV transformers at a local substation and a 4 MWh battery system for network stabilization, the African Development Bank added.

EU funding

The European Union – through its EU-Africa Investment Trust Fund – approved a €6.35 million loan for construction of the transmission line, substation and other electrical works required for grid connection. The EU previously announced the project was intended to be fully financed in 2017 and operational last year.

The solar-plus-storage project is part of the African nation’s efforts to address a power deficit which means only 1.4 million people from a population of 14.4 million have access to electricity.

UAE-based developer Amea Power has proposed a 120 MW solar project near N’Djamena and compatriot Almaden Emirates Fortune Power LLC is planning a 200-400 MW facility in the central African nation.