Mozambican Authorities Selects Total Eren to Build the Dondo Solar Power Plant

Mozambique’s Energy Regulatory Authority (ARENE) has chosen Total Eren, the subsidiary of the French group TotalEnergies, for the development of the Dondo solar power plant. The 40 MWp solar plant is under development in the Dondo district in the central province of Sofala.

Total Eren has won the contract ahead of several other IPPs. This is the case of its compatriot EDF Renouvelables and Akuo Energy, which had joined hands with British IPP Globeleq to take part in the tender. The Italian Enel Green Power and Norwegian IPP Scatec were also involved in the call for expression of interest.

After a thorough assessment undertaken by a multi-sector jury, the subsidiary of TotalEnergies was selected as the winning bidder with the best technical and financial proposal for the project.

Total Eren will design, finance, build and operate the solar PV plant under a public-private partnership (PPP). The plant will generate electricity to feed into the grid of the public utility, Electricidade de Moçambique (EDM).

The project is part of the Programme for the Promotion of Renewable Energy by Auction (PROLER), funded by the European Union and implemented by EDM, in partnership with the French Development Agency (AFD). Under the initiative, a total of 120 MWp solar capacity will be developed from three solar PV plants, including the one in Dondo.

ARENE plans to launch tenders for two other solar PV plants, one in Lichinga city, the capital of Niassa province, and the other in the town of Manje, Tete province. These two plants are also undergoing the pre-qualification process.

The PROLER initiative aims to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions in Mozambique. The three solar PV plants are expected to avoid nearly 25,000 tons of CO2 emissions per year and can cover the annual electricity consumption of 300,000 households.

According to the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Mozambique has an installed capacity of 2,827 MW, most of which is generated from hydroelectric plants. The electricity access rate for the country is nearly 30%. The future solar facilities will increase Mozambique’s installed capacity, increasing the rate of electrification.