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Emirati renewable energy company AMEA Power has announced the expansion of Blitta solar power plant in Togo. The government of Togo has obtained a promise of $25 million in financing from the Abu Dhabi Export Office (ADEX) for the expansion of the photovoltaic plant, as well as the construction of an battery energy storage system.
Blitta Solar Power Station, also known as Muhammad Bin Zayed Power Station, is located in the Centrale Region of Togo and has been operational since June 2021. The solar plant currently has a capacity of 50 MW and is operated by AMEA Togo Solar. The output of the plant is sold to the Compagnie Energie Electrique du Togo (CEET).
ADEX, the financial facility of the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD), has already signed the $25 loan agreement with Togo’s Ministry of Economy and Finance. Under the agreement, the capacity of Blitta solar PV plant will be increased by 20 MW, totaling the plant’s capacity to 70 MW.
The agreement was signed during a virtual event by Sani Yaya, Togo’s Minister of Economy & Finance, and Mohamed Saif Al Suwaidi, Director-General of the ADFD and Chairman of the Exports Executive Committee of ADEX. The event was also joined by Mawunyo Mila Aziable, Togo’s Minister of State for Energy and Mines, Khalil Al Mansoori, acting Director-General of ADEX, and Hussain Al Nowais, Chairman of AMEA Power, along with other senior officials.
The Blitta Solar Power Station will also be equipped with a 4 MWh battery storage system to enable the plant to supply power after sunset. The expansion work will be carried out by AMEA Technical Services.
The first two phases of the Blitta solar plant were financed by loans from the West African Development Bank (BOAD) and ADFD. With the implementation of the expansion work, the Blitta plant will become the largest solar PV plant in West Africa.
According to AMEA Power, the solar plant should meet the energy needs of at least 222,000 Togolese households after its expansion, against 158,000+ households before. AMEA Power has also established an internship program in Togo to help engineering students from various technical institutions to gain practical experience at the solar plant.