Two solar power plants will be built in the Macina circle, in the Ségou region of central Mali. A call for tenders has just been launched by the Malian Agency for the Development of Domestic Energy and Rural Electrification (Amader). The two solar photovoltaic power plants will be built in the towns of Saye and Sarro.
Each plant will provide 1.3 MW and will have a storage capacity of 1.5 MW. Thanks to battery storage, the installations will provide electricity to the population after sunset. The construction of the two solar power plants is part of the Solar Energy Project for Rural Development in Mali (PESDR).
The support of several financial partners
Companies interested in building the Saye and Sarro solar power plants have until Tuesday, October 15, 2019 to submit their applications. The two installations will form two small electricity grids that will feed the populations of at least 24 villages in the Macina circle, divided between the communes of Saloba (13 villages), Sana (10 villages) and Matomo (one village). The PESDR should normally be completed within three years.
Its implementation will require an investment of CFAF 10 billion, or €15.2 million. The Government of Mali is financing the project with a loan of more than €13.5 million from the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB). The National Office of Electricity and Water (Onee) of the Kingdom of Morocco is also participating in the development of the project with a contribution of more than 413,000 euros.
The Solar Energy Project for Rural Development (PESDR) should also contribute to the strengthening of the Amader’s capacities. This is an important initiative in a context marked by the rise of solar energy and which has a positive impact on the electrification of rural areas.
Jean Marie Takouleu