At a time when Botswana is over 50% dependent on South Africa and Zambia for its electricity supply, Scatec is helping to change that. The Norwegian independent power producer (IPP) has just launched work on its 120 MW Mmadinare solar farm, which will be built in two phases.
Bostawana is committed to decarbonising its electricity mix. As proof of this, President Mokgweetsi Masisi attended the launch of work on the country’s largest photovoltaic solar power plant near the town of Mmadinare in the Central District, 405 km north-east of the capital Gaborone. The event was also attended by Gjermund Saether, Norway’s ambassador to South Africa, Madagascar, Botswana, Namibia and the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
PRESIDENT MASISI LAUNCHES THE 100MW MMADINARE SOLAR PROJECT
His Excellency Dr. Mokgweetsi Masisi, the President of the Republic of Botswana kick-started the construction works of Phase 1 of the Mmadinare 100MW Solar Cluster. The project will is expected to be delivered in 2025. pic.twitter.com/7g9bURh0qr
— Botswana Power Corporation (@BPCBw) March 24, 2024
And why is this? Because the solar power plant is being developed by Norwegian company Scatec, which completed financing for the first phase (60 MWp) of the project in December 2023. At the groundbreaking ceremony on 22 March 2024, Terje Pilskog, CEO of Scatec, explained that the Mmadinare solar power plant represented “a step towards sustainability, energy independence and economic growth for Botswana. This project not only taps into Botswana’s abundant solar resources, but also signifies our commitment to delivering and building a cleaner future”.
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Its two phases (120 MW) will require an investment of 1.4 billion Botswana pulas (approximately 104 million dollars), of which 90 million dollars will be dedicated to the implementation of the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract. In addition to the EPC contract, Scatec’s South African division will provide operation and maintenance (O&M) services for the Mmadinare solar photovoltaic power plant, which will supply electricity to the state-owned Botswana Power Corporation (BPC) for 25 years.
According to Scatec, the solar power plant will prevent the emission of around 48,000 tonnes of CO2 and supply power to around 20,000 homes a year. To build the plant, the Norwegian independent power producer (IPP) has raised $68 million in debt from the South African investment company Rand Merchant Bank and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private sector financing arm of the World Bank Group.
Jean Marie Takouleu
