Construction works on Mubuga solar power plant in Burundi has resumed after almost 2 years of non-activity; this is according to project developers Gigawatt Global. The project is being built in the Mubuga district in the eastern province of Gitega, one of the world’s least-developed states.
It will be developed under a public-private partnership between the Government of Burundi and Gigawatt Global.
First solar project connected to the grid by IPP in Burundi
The project has been sustained by a grant from the Energy and Environment Partnership Programme and the Belgian Investment Company for Developing Countries. The project is also supported by African-European Union Renewable Energy Cooperation Programme and the Renewable Energy Performance Platform, presently engaging in project due diligence. It will be the first solar project connected to the grid by an independent power producer (IPP) in Burundi.
Burundi has only 40MW of electrical power at a 10% electrification rate. The average per capita electricity consumption of the East African country is among the lowest on the continent at 23 kWh/year, compared to an African average of 150 kWh/year. The Mubuga solar power plant represents the largest investment in energy in 30 years.
Upon completion, the power plant is expected to produce 7.5MW of power. This will supply electricity to approximately 90,000 Burundians and improve the country’s electricity capacity by 15%. 300 part-time jobs during construction and 50 full-time jobs during the 25-year operating period will be created.
The developers also plan to construct a scalable mini-grid scheme alongside the grid-based project for the local community, and will provide yearly support to the community to improve economic potential and living standards.
