Zambia: Mailo Solar Power Plant Injects 25MW Into The Grid

Zambia’s efforts to address the current power crisis are yielding positive results as the Mailo Solar PV Power Plant, located in Mailo Chiefdom in Serenje District, has attained a significant milestone by injecting 25 Megawatts (MW) of solar energy into the national grid.

The 110MW solar plant, conceptualized through a partnership between Solar Century Africa and ZESCO Limited, sits on 204 hectares of land in Chief Mailo’s chiefdom. Construction, which started in July last year, has rapidly progressed, with the first phase of work completed and tested in May this year.

“In terms of timelines, we plan to start clearing the site for phase two in July, which will take two months,” says Solar Century Africa Project Manager, Eng. Gondai Moyana. Beyond the 25MW in the first phase, the developers aim to achieve the next 35MW and then 50MW.

“Construction will start around September, while completion of mechanical works and testing will be done by April to May next year. Soon after that, we will start the third phase of 50MW, which is likely to take a bit longer. Commissioning [of the 50MW] will be around 2027,” he added.

ZESCO is at the forefront of providing solutions to the current electricity challenges, aggressively seeking private and public sector collaborations to address the energy deficit.

“Mailo Solar power plant is critical in our current situation and the future,” says Eng. Brian Kanyanga, Head of Renewables at ZESCO.

“It will contribute to lessening the burden on our [hydro] power plants.”

The successful completion of the first phase demonstrates the trust and confidence the private sector has placed in ZESCO as an implementing partner.

ZESCO ensures technical soundness during development and before a project releases its electrons into the national grid.

“Not only have we verified the designs, but we have also contributed to grid integration to ensure seamless integration into the national grid. As solar is intermittent, we need to ensure the technology doesn’t destabilize the grid while we enjoy its benefits,” Eng. Kanyanga added.

With a target to reach 1,000MW of solar electricity by year-end, Zambia’s “Solar Explosion” story is on course.

Source: https://energynewsafrica.com