The Baoma 1 solar power plant in Sierra Leone has entered commercial operation. The 5 MWp solar plant is the country’s first independent power project (IPP), built under a public-private partnership (PPP) between the Sierra Leonean authorities and the renewable energy project developer Serengeti Energy Limited.
Located in Yamandu near Bo Town in the Southern province, the solar PV plant is the first phase of a solar project led by Serengeti Energy that aims to achieve 25 MWp of installed capacity. The power generated in the first phase will help in expanding access to electricity in the Bo-Kenema region.
According to the US International Trade Agency (ITA), Sierra Leone has less than 150 MW of installed power. The Baoma 1 solar plant will add nearly 5% to the country’s total electricity generation capacity, providing a significant contribution to its energy needs.
The entire project requires an investment of around $35 million. Serengeti Energy has several financial partners and investors supporting the project, including Sweden’s development finance agency Swedfund, the Norwegian development finance institution Norfund, and the German development agency KfW.
The Baoma solar project is also supported by the Nordic Development Fund (NDF), French impact investor Stoa, and Proparco specialized in infrastructure financing, and Proparco, a subsidiary of the French Development Agency (AFD) group that is specialized in private sector development.
Serengeti Energy develops, builds, and operates small and medium-sized renewable energy projects in several sub-Saharan African countries including Sierra Leone, Rwanda, Uganda, Malawi, and South Africa. The IPP plans to launch the second phase of the Baoma project in early 2023.
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