Bangweulu Solar Power Station
Bangweulu Solar Power Station (BSPS), is a 54 MW (72,000 hp) solar power plant in Zambia. The solar farm that was commercially commissioned in March 2019, was developed and is owned by a consortium comprising Neoen, a French IPP, Industrial Development Corporation of Zambia (IDC Zambia), a government parastatal company and First Solar, a US-based solar panel manufacturer. The power station cost US$60 million to develop.[1][2]
| Bangweulu Solar Power Station | |
|---|---|
Bangweulu Solar Power Station | |
| Country | Zambia |
| Location | Kafue District, Lusaka Province |
| Coordinates | 15°30′42″S 28°25′54″E |
| Status | Operational |
| Commission date | 11 March 2019 |
| Construction cost | US$60 million |
| Owner(s) | Bangweulu Power Company Limited |
| Operator(s) | Bangweulu Power Company Limited |
| Solar farm | |
| Type | |
| Thermal power station | |
| Primary fuel | Solar |
| Power generation | |
| Nameplate capacity | 54 MW (72,000 hp) |
Location
The power plant is located in the Lusaka South Multi-Facility Economic Zone,[2] in Kafue District, in Lusaka Province, approximately 25 kilometres (16 mi), by road, southeast of the central business district of Lusaka, the capital of Zambia and the largest city in that country.[3] BSPS its on 52 hectares (130 acres) of real estate.[4] The geographical coordinates of Bangweulu Solar Power Station are 15°30'42.0"S, 28°25'54.0"E (Latitude:-15.511667; Longitude:28.431667), just north of the Ngonye Solar Power Station.[5]
Overview
The Government of Zambia, through IDC Zambia, working with the World Bank Group, as part of the bank's program "Scaling Solar", awarded the tender to develop this power station to Neoen, a French independent power producer. The American solar panel manufacturer First Solar Inc. was selected to manufacture and supply the solar panels for the power station.[1][2][6]
The power generated here is purchased by Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation Limited (ZESCO) under a 25-year power purchase agreement executed between ZESCO and Neoen at US$0.0602 per kWh.[1][2][6]
Ownership
This power station is owned by a consortium whose members are illustrated in the table below. The members of the consortium formed a special purpose vehicle company Bangweulu Power Company Limited, which operates and maintains the power station.[1][2][6]
| Rank | Shareholder | Domicile | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Neoen | France | [1][2][6] |
| 2 | First Solar | United States | [1][2][6] |
| 3 | IDC Zambia | Zambia | [1][2][6] |
Funding, construction and timeline
This renewable energy infrastructure development project received a grant of US$2 million, from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).[7]
The International Finance Corporation (IFC), and the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (formerly OPIC, now DFC), jointly lent US$39 million to the consortium of owner/developers of BSPS.[4]
The EPC contract was awarded to Sterling & Wilson, an engineering and Construction company, based in India. Construction started in December 2017, with commercial commissioning taking place in March 2019.[1][2][4]
References
- Jean Marie Takouleu (20 March 2019). "Zambia: Bangweulu's solar park (54 MW) recently delivered by Neoen and IDC". Afrik21.africa. Paris, France. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
- Anu Bhambhani (13 March 2019). "54 MW Zambian Solar PV Project Comes Online". Taiyangnews.info. Beijing, China. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
- Google (9 September 2021). "Road Distance Between Lusaka, Zambia And Bangweulu Solar Power Station, Zambia" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
- Daniel Saltsman (21 December 2017). "Neoen begins work on a solar park in Zambia, in the first stage of the Scaling Solar programme" (PDF). Neoen.com. Paris, France. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
- Google (9 September 2021). "Location of Bangweulu Solar Power Station" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
- Chris Phiri (11 March 2019). "Lungu Commissions 54MW Solar Power Plant". ZambiaReports.com. Lusaka. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
- United States Embassy in Zambia (11 March 2019). "Zambia Energized by United States and Power Africa Initiative". United States Embassy in Zambia. Lusaka. Retrieved 9 September 2021.