- The utility scale solar project to operate alongside rehabilitated Mandroseza heavy fuel oil power station.
- The Moramanga plant will be among the largest solar facilities in Madagascar once completed.
Afripower has commenced construction of a large utility scale solar photovoltaic power plant in Moramanga marking a major milestone in Madagascar’s transition toward cleaner and more cost effective electricity generation.
The 40 MWp solar project will operate in parallel with Afripower’s existing Mandroseza heavy fuel oil power station which supplies electricity to the Antananarivo Interconnected Network. The development forms part of the company’s broader strategy to modernise ageing power infrastructure while reducing dependence on imported fossil fuels.
Afripower assumed control of the Mandroseza thermal plant in 2022 and has since completed extensive rehabilitation works. As a result installed generation capacity at the site has increased from approximately 5 MW to nearly 40 MW. The integration of utility scale solar generation is expected to further stabilise supply in Madagascar’s main load centre while lowering overall operating costs.
Once fully completed the Moramanga solar facility will rank among the largest solar power plants in the country. The project is being developed in phases with the first phase scheduled for completion in early 2026. This initial stage is expected to add around 15 MWp of capacity to the grid with the remaining capacity delivered in subsequent phases.
The solar plant is designed to directly displace heavy fuel oil generation reducing fuel imports and exposure to volatile international energy prices. Each megawatt of solar electricity supplied to the grid will translate into tangible cost savings while also cutting emissions from the power sector.
Afripower Chief Executive Officer Tahina Ramaromandray has positioned the project as closely aligned with Madagascar’s national energy strategy which prioritises increased generation capacity diversification of the energy mix and accelerated deployment of renewable energy technologies.
By combining rehabilitated dispatchable thermal assets with new utility scale solar generation Afripower is pursuing a hybrid model aimed at delivering more reliable affordable and sustainable electricity to support Madagascar’s economic growth and long term energy security.
Author: Bryan Groenendaal
