The government of Mali has launched the Safo solar power plant project in Mali. The country’s President Assimi Goïta, initiated the construction in the Koulikoro region.
The 100 MWp energy plant will sit on 228 hectares of land. It will utilize monocrystalline silicon photovoltaic panels and is expected to be completed in 15 months. The project, a partnership with China, is half-financed by Mali’s national budget and aims to alleviate the persistent load shedding that has affected the country’s households and businesses.
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Energy diversity
In addition to the Safo plant, Mali is also developing the Sanankoroba solar power plant, projected to be the largest in sub-Saharan Africa with a capacity of 200 MWp. Covering 314 hectares, this plant is being constructed about thirty kilometers from the capital, Bamako, in collaboration with NovaWind, a subsidiary of Russia’s Rosatom.
These initiatives are part of Mali’s broader strategy to diversify its energy partnerships, involving countries like Russia, China, and Turkey, and to pursue energy autonomy and sustainable development. The projects are expected to address the ongoing electricity crisis that has been detrimental to Mali’s economy over the past eight months, reflecting President Goïta’s vision for a renewable energy-based system.
Mali has a strong renewable energy penetration (especially solar) and a national average rate of access to electricity on the increase (25% in 2012, and 35% in 2016). The electricity consumption per capita is about 90 kWh, against an average of 116 kWh in the ECOWAS countries and 500 kWh on average for Africa. The average consumption is also characterised by a strong disparity between rural and urban areas.
