- The first solar power plant developed by an independent power producer (IPP) in Sierra Leone is entering its operational phase.
- The electricity generated in the first phase will expand access to electricity in the Bo-Kenema region of south-eastern Sierra Leone.
The first solar power plant developed by an independent power producer (IPP) in Sierra Leone is entering its operational phase. The Baoma 1 solar photovoltaic park is located in Yamandu, near Bo. The 5 MWp solar plant will add 5% to Sierra Leone’s electricity generation capacity. Baoma 1 is the first phase of a project that aims to achieve an installed capacity of 25 MWp, led by IPP Serengeti Energy.
The Nairobi, Kenya-based company, Serengeti Energy has several financial partners and investors, including Swedfund, Sweden’s development finance agency, the Norwegian Investment Fund for Developing Countries (NORFUND), Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW), the German development agency. The West African country currently has less than 150 MW capacity, according to the United States International Trade Agency (ITA).
The electricity generated in the first phase will expand access to electricity in the Bo-Kenema region of south-eastern Sierra Leone. The Energy company plans to launch its project’s second phase (20 MWp) in 2023. The entire project will require an investment of $35 million. The project is also supported by the Nordic Development Fund (NDF), Stoa, a French impact fund specialised in infrastructure financing, and Proparco, the private sector financing arm of the French Development Agency (AFD) group.