- In the Central African Republic (CAR), the Sakaï solar power plant, located 10 kilometres from the city of Bangui, is coming into service after three years of work.
- With a capacity of 15 MW, the installation should make it possible to deal with the power cuts that sometimes last 16 hours a day in this Central African country.
Energy-related cooperation between China and the Central African Republic (CAR) is starting to pay off. The Sakai solar power facility, which got financial and technical help from the Middle Kingdom, was recently inaugurated in Central Africa. The 15 MW facility is close to Bangui, the country’s capital.
“Energy is the basis of everything, because without it we can do nothing. This infrastructure will increase the overall electricity supply in Bangui for the benefit of households, economic development and, in particular, industry,” explains Arthur Bertran Piri, the Central African Minister for Energy Development and Water Resources.
Several Central African locations, notably in rural regions, are still not connected to the national power network, which, according to World Bank estimates, only provides 4% of the population of Central Africa. The city of Bangui has a 20% electrification rate. The 2015-2030 Investment Project is what the CAR government are relying on to correct this.
It consists of the Lobaye hydroelectric scheme (75 MW), Dimoli hydroelectric scheme (180 MW), Lancrenon hydroelectric scheme (20 MW, on the border with Cameroon), Kotto hydroelectric scheme (40 MW), as well as the rehabilitation of the Boali II hydroelectric plant (10 MW to 15 MW). According to the Central African authorities, a power transmission network should go along with these infrastructures, which would cost 200 billion CFA francs (almost 3.7 billion dollars) in total.