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Chad has started construction of two 50MW power plant near the capital city of N’djamena. The plants will be connected to a 10MWh battery system.
- The project is being financed to the tune of $150m and will be developed by Merl Solar.
- The power generated will be purchased by the state utility company for a period of 20 years.
Chad is set to construct two power projects with capacities of 50MW each. The solar PV plants will be constructed in the Gaoui district on the outskirts of N’Djamena, the capital. The power generated will help strengthen the country’s grid capacity and provide much-needed energy for the city of N’Djamena. Both plants will be connected to a 10 MWh energy storage system.
Construction for the two projects is expected to gulp about $150 million, and it will be developed by the Austrian company Merl Solar. The company is hopeful that construction will be completed within one year.
The government has stated that the energy generated will be purchased by the National Electricity Company (SNE) over a period of 20 years at a tariff of XAF55 (€0.083/kW). When this agreement elapses, Merl Solar will transfer ownership of the plant to SNE. The construction is expected to create 400 to 500 direct jobs as well as include a vocational training centre in N’Djamena that will help build the capacity of young graduates in the energy sector according to the government.
Idriss Deby, Chad’s President at the commissioning, stated that the country is doing all it can to open up to investors and partners willing to set up projects in the energy sector. According to him, the country has adopted a tax-exemption policy for energy projects in the country.