Central African Republic inaugurates 25MW solar plant

The Central African Republic (CAR) has inaugurated the Danzi solar power plant. President Faustin Archange Touadera, presided over the ceremony which aims at addressing the country’s electricity challenges.

The solar plant is the country’s second solar photovoltaic power station and is part of the broader initiative known as the Emergency Project for Access to Electricity (Puracell). It is located in the village of Danzi, situated 20 km north of Bangui, the capital of CAR and covers a 70-hectare site and is equipped with 47,000 solar panels.

The Chinese company Shanxi Construction Investissement Group was responsible for installing the solar panels whose total capacity is 25 MWp. A sum of US $61M was invested in the project and the loan was provided by the World Bank.

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Puracell project

The Danzi solar power plant is connected to a 30 MWh electricity storage system.The electricity generated is fed into the grid of the state-owned company Energie Centrafricaine (ENERCA) via the existing 63 kV transmission line linking the Boali hydroelectric system to the capital Bangui.

The Puracell project aims to improve the supply of and access to electricity in the capital, Bangui, which is home to a quarter of the country’s population. The electrification rate in Bangui is 35%, with an installed production capacity of 28 MW, while the unmet demand is estimated at around 60 MW.

The project also focuses on enhancing the transmission and distribution network to accommodate additional production capacity, including the Sakaï 15 MWp solar power plant commissioned in April 2023. The president said the government’s goal is to diversify electricity production sources, with a focus on developing hydroelectric, solar, and biomass potential.