Togo Announces First 50MW IPP-Developed Utility-Scale PV Plant

• AMEA Power has signed a concession agreement with the Ministry of
  Mines and Energies of Togo and a 25-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with La Compagnie Energie Electrique du Togo (CEET), for a 50MW solar PV project.

The project documents were signed in November by His Excellency Marc Dèdèriwè Ably-Bidamon, Minister of Mines and Energies of Togo, Mawusi Kakatsi, Director General of CEET, and Hussain Al Nowais, Chairman of AMEA Power.

Dubbed ‘The Project’, in a company statement, AMEA Power noted that the PV project is the country’s first utility-scale renewable energy project developed by an independent power producer (IPP). It is part of the solar programme being developed under the national electrification strategy through which the government intends to build four power plants in the country.

The Project was launched further to a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in March 2019 between the Ministry of Mines and Energies and AMEA Power.

AMEA Power will build, own, operate and transfer the solar power plant in Blitta, which is about 267km away from the capital city Lomé.

The power plant, expected to be commissioned in 2020, will be able to supply power to approximately 159,180 people in Togo thanks to a planned production of nearly 90,255GWh per year. The Project confirms the dedication of AMEA Power to support the country’s firm goal of increasing the renewables contribution to its energy mix by 2022.

Togo has an installed capacity of 230 MW of which 164 MW is thermal and 66MW hydro. Only 35% of the population have access to electricity (Rural: 5% Urban: 74%). Togo imports its vast shortfall from from Nigeria and Ghana. 

Earlier this year, AMEA Power signed a PPA with Chad’s Ministry of Energy for a 60MW solar PV project. Furthermore, the company has two projects in Jordan under construction; a 50MW solar power plant and a 51.75MW wind power plant.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, AMEA Power’s Chairman, Hussain Al Nowais, said “We are delighted to move this project forward together with the Government of Togo and our partners. We are thankful for the support that we have received in the country and we look forward to supporting Togo’s economic growth and social development through this project”.

Author: Ashley Theron

This article was originally published on ESI Africa and is republished with permission with minor editorial changes.