- Burkina Faso approved a $49.3 million loan from China for a solar plant at Donsin Airport.
- A 25MW solar plant and 5MW/20MWh battery storage will be built in Loumbila.
- Improve power reliability at Donsin Airport and reduce dependence on imported electricity.
The transitional parliament in Burkina Faso approved a $49.3 million loan from China for a new solar power plant and storage system at Donsin Airport.
In September 2023, the Burkinabe government and the Export-Import Bank of China signed a concessional loan of 30 billion CFA francs. The CFA franc serves eight West African countries.
President Ibrahim Traoré and the Council of Ministers proposed the agreement, requiring parliamentary approval. The project will create a 25-megawatt (peak) solar power plant at Donsin airport in Loumbila district, central Burkina Faso. It will also include a 5MW / 20MWh battery storage system to boost energy reliability.
The country’s Ministry of Energy, Mines, and Quarries aims to enhance the reliability of the power supply at Donsin Airport and reduce reliance on imported electricity. La Société nationale d’électricité du Burkina Faso (Sonabel) will act as the project’s offtaker and represents Burkina Faso in the West African Power Pool.