Mali: Foundation stone laid for 200 MW solar power plant
President of the Malian transition, Assimi Goïta, launched the construction works of one of the largest solar power plants on Friday, May 24, 2024, in Sanankoroba, a locality situated about 40 km from Bamako. With a capacity of 200 MW, this project will take 24 months to complete and will span an area of 314 hectares.
With a total cost of 900 billion CFA francs (approximately 1.3 billion euros), the construction of this solar power plant is financed by the Islamic Development Bank (IDB), and the work will be carried out by the Russian company NovaWind, a subsidiary of the Russian atomic energy agency Rosatom. Malian transitional president, Colonel Assimi Goïta, laid the foundation stone for a 200 MW solar power plant in Sanankoroba on Friday, May 24, about 40 km from Bamako.
This new solar power plant is a significant step in addressing the energy crisis facing Mali. The country, which relies primarily on energy produced by polluting thermal power plants, has been experiencing frequent power outages for several months.
« This power plant, the largest in the country and even in the sub-region, will greatly alleviate the current electricity shortage in the country », said Energy Minister Bintou Camara on national television.
It is worth noting that 70% of Mali’s electricity production comes from thermal sources, which is extremely costly and puts a heavy burden on the financial balance of the Mali Energy Company (EDM-SA), as stated by Malian Minister of Economy Alousséni Sanou during the signing of the agreement with NovaWind last March.
