Burkina Faso Plans 120MW Solar Tender
The first phase of the SOLEER project to be tendered this year.
Burkina Faso’s Ministry of Energy, Mines and Quarries is planning to launch a tender for 120MW of solar production with 120MWh of battery storage at the end of 2023.
The tender will represent the first phase of the solar energy and rural access project known as SOLEER.
The SOLEER project aims to procure 325MW of solar projects with 335MWh of battery storage over several phases.
The project has been designed to support the electrification of 300 localities in selected rural areas and the connection of 120,000 households, MSMEs and community infrastructure to modern and reliable electricity services.
It is hoped that Burkina Faso will be able to mobilise more than US$400 million in private investment in solar plants and battery storage systems through the programme.
In June 2021, the World Bank committed US$168.75 million in funding for the SOLEER project covering three components:
1. Sustainable rural electrification (US$75 million)
2. Utility-scale solar generation with storage and integration of variable renewables (US$88 million)
3. Private sector mobilisation for large-scale solar generation (US$5.75 million)
In August, consultants were invited to express interest in monitoring and supervising the construction of power evacuation lines from solar plants as part of the second component of the SOLEER project.
The consulting engineering firm will carry out detailed monitoring and control of the progress of the studies and works for the solar park and the associated connection facilities (including grid reinforcement and storage batteries) in order to ensure coordination, phasing, the management of interfaces and the consistency of finalisation dates.
The estimated duration of the consulting contract is 3.5 years: assistance to the project management unit for the procurement of the network battery contract (five months); control and supervision of works and assistance during the warranty period (three years including for warranty period).
The deadline for consultants to submit expressions of interest is 14 September 2023.
Photo: Solar array © Stangot | Dreamstime)
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