Will a 30 MWp photovoltaic power plant improve Niger's electricity supply?

FIND IT! Mahaman Moustapha Barké, Niger's Minister of Energy, has announced the commissioning of a 30 MWp photovoltaic solar power plant. The infrastructure, located around ten kilometres from the capital Niamey, was built under the aegis of Nigerien Electricity Company (NIGELEC) with a view to improving the city's electricity supply.

What is the largest solar power plant in Niger?

This has been made possible by the commissioning of the Gourou Banda solar power plant, with a capacity of 30 MWp. Equipped with 55,608 solar panels, each with an output of 540 W, this is the largest solar photovoltaic park in operation in Niger.

Will the gourou Banda solar power plant reduce load shedding in Niger?

In an announcement made on national television on Sunday 26 November 2023, Niger’s Minister of Energy, Mahaman Moustapha Barké, said that the commissioning of the Gourou Banda solar power plant would reduce the load shedding that the country had been experiencing for more than three months.

How much money does Niger need to build a power station?

The construction of this power station (over a two-year period) required the mobilisation of 30 million euros (20 billion CFA francs), financed to the tune of 23.5 million euros by the French Development Agency (AFD) in the form of a loan, 5 million euros by the European Union (EU) and the remaining 1.5 million by the State of Niger.

How can Niger balance its energy mix?

This transformative project, funded by the World Bank through the International Development Association (IDA), will enable Niger to better balance its energy mix, which is currently largely dominated by thermal energy. This initiative is particularly crucial for a country that frequently faces climatic shocks.