Mozambique’s energy regulatory authority (ARENE) will launch by end-July a tender to develop 60MW of solar projects across sites in Lichinga, Niassa province and Manje, Tete province.
According to the chairman of ARENE, Paulo da Graça, the tender will award at least 30MW per location and will be included in the country’s renewable energy auction programme (PROLER), run by state utility Electricidade do Mozambique (EDM) and ARENE.
As of now, 90MW is pending development under the PROLER programme, comprising a 50MW photovoltaic (PV) plant in Lichinga awarded to a consortium of Dutch independent power producer (IPP) Gigawatt Global and the Anglican Church of Niassa; and a 40MW solar PV plant awarded in April to TotalEnergies subsidiary Total Eren in Dondo, Sofala province.
Close to the proposed site at Manje, Tete province, London-listed power development company Ncondezi Energy is considering another PV plant and battery storage facility.
The company is building a 300MW coal-fired power plant at the same site in partnership with China Machinery Engineering (CMEC), but the consortium has been pending debt restructuring for several months on a USD 750,000 working capital facility.
London-based firm Solarcentry Africa is expected to announce a 100MW PV project in Mozambique shortly, Solarcentury’s head of commercial finance Mark Crossley told PFI last month.
