Kanzimbe Solar Power Station

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Kanzimbe Solar Power Station
Wikimedia | © OpenStreetMap
CountryMalawi
LocationKanzimbe, Khombedza TA, Salima District, Central Province
Coordinates13°36′31″S 34°24′37″E / 13.60861°S 34.41028°E / -13.60861; 34.41028Coordinates: 13°36′31″S 34°24′37″E / 13.60861°S 34.41028°E / -13.60861; 34.41028
StatusUnder construction
Construction beganDecember 2018
Commission dateAugust 2021 Expected
Construction costUS$80 million
Owner(s)JCM Matswana Solar Corporation
Solar farm
TypeFlat-panel PV
Site area168 hectares (420 acres)
Power generation
Nameplate capacity60 megawatts (80,000 hp)
[edit on Wikidata]

Kanzimbe Solar Power Station, also Salima Solar Power Station, is a 60 megawatts (80,000 hp) solar power plant, under construction, in Malawi, in Southern Africa.[1]

Location[]

The power station is located in the neighborhood known as Kanzimbe, in Khombeza Traditional Area, in Salima District, on the south-western banks of Lake Malawi,[2] approximately 110 kilometres (68 mi),[3] by road, north-east of Lilongwe, Malawi's capital city. Salima is located about 119 kilometres (74 mi) by road, south of the town of Nkhotakota, on the western coast of Lake Malawi.[4]

Overview[]

As of 2018, Malawi is reported to have the lowest electrification rate in the World, with a per capital consumption estimated at 93 kWh per year compared with an average of 432 kWh for Sub-Saharan Africa and 2167 kWh per year for the World average. There is urgency for Malawi to reach the critical threshold of 500 kWh per year.[5]

As part of efforts to increase electricity output and to diversify Malawi's sources of energy, the country is developing this solar power station (60 megawatts), Kammwamba Thermal Power Station (300 megawatts) and Mpatamanga Hydroelectric Power Station (350 megawatts), in the medium term.[6]

The energy generated by his power station will be sold to the Electricity Supply Commission of Malawi (Escom), after the owner/developers conclude a power-purchase agreement.[7]

In addition to the solar farm, a new 132kV electricity switchyard, a new 4 kilometres (2 mi) 132kV high voltage transmission line will be built to evacuate the generated energy to the Escom 132kV substation at Nanjoka, where it will enter the national grid.[8]

Developers[]

The power station is being developed by a consortium comprising three companies as illustrated in the table below:[9][10]

Members of Consortium Developing Kanzimbe Solar Power Station
Rank Shareholder Domicile Percentage Notes
1 JCM Power Canada
2 Matswani Capital Private Malawi
3 InfraCo Africa United Kingdom
Total 100.00

JCM Power is a Canadian renewable energy, independent power producer, active in South Asia, Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa.[6][11]

Construction timeline, costs and funding[]

Construction was flagged off in December 2018.[6] The development costs of the power station and related infrastructure is quoted as high as US$80 million.[8]

In July 2021, the Africa Trade Insurance Agency (ATI) insured JCM Matswani Solar Corporation Limited, the special purpose vehicle company that owns and is building the power station against late payments by the power plant operator, Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (Escom). The ten-year policy cost US$4.4 million. Completion and commercial commissioning is expected in August 2021.[12]

This renewable energy power project benefitted from partial funding from the Netherlands Entrepreneurial Development Bank totaling US$12.51 million.[12]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ ESI-Africa (4 December 2018). "Malawi: 60MW solar plant to end blackouts". ESI-Africa. Rondebosch, South Africa. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
  2. ^ Google (8 December 2018). "Location of Salima District, Malawi" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
  3. ^ Google (27 July 2021). "Road Distance Between Lilongwe, Central Region, Malawi And Khombedza Health Centre, Central Region, Malawi" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 27 July 2021.
  4. ^ Google (22 April 2021). "Road Distance Between Salima, Malawi And Nkhotakota, Malawi" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 22 April 2021.
  5. ^ John L Taulo, Kenneth Joseph Gondwe, and Adoniya Ben Sebitosi (May 2015). "Energy supply in Malawi: Options and issues: Current status of energy demand and supply in Malawi" (Volume 26, number 2). Journal of Energy in Southern Africa. Cape Town. Retrieved 8 December 2018.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  6. ^ Jump up to: a b c Watson Maingo-Mana, and Green Muheya (3 December 2018). "Mutharika Opens Solar Plant Construction: More Investments To End Blackouts In Malawi". Nyasa Times. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
  7. ^ Malawi News Agency (4 December 2018). "President Mutharika opens 60 megawatts solar plant construction". Maravi Post Quoting Malawi News Agency. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
  8. ^ Jump up to: a b ESIA Team (28 September 2018). "JCM Matswani Solar Corporation Limited: Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA)" (PDF). Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency. Retrieved 27 July 2021.
  9. ^ FMO Netherlands (25 March 2019). "JCM Salima UK Limited". FMO (Netherlands). The Hague. Retrieved 27 July 2021.
  10. ^ InfraCo Africa (2019). "Malawi: Salima Solar: Starting the journey to solar power". InfraCo Africa. London, United Kingdom. Retrieved 27 July 2021.
  11. ^ JCMPower Canada (2018). "Salima, Malawi Solar Project: Project Overview". Toronto: JCMPower Canada. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
  12. ^ Jump up to: a b Jean Marie Takouleu (21 July 2021). "Malawi: ATI insures Salima solar plant (60 MWp) against default". Afrik21.africa. Paris, France. Retrieved 27 July 2021.

External links[]

Retrieved from ""