A tender has opened seeking expressions of interest from private minigrid developers to design, construct, operate and maintain a minigrid in Eswatini.
The Bulimeni Solar PV-Battery minigrid project will enable household electrification of the Bulimeni community, which features 92 households, located in the Shiselweni region of southern Eswatini.
The chosen developer will be expected to operate and maintain the minigrid for 20 years and be responsible for providing a minimum 55% of the capital expenditure required for the development of the project.
The Africa Minigrids Program (AMP) Eswatini project is one of 21 AMP projects currently being implemented in an equal number of African countries. ESERA will part-fund the development through a grant from the Global Environment Facility. The closing date for applications is August 23.
Eswatini had deployed a total of 11 MW of solar at the end of 2023, according to figures from the International Renewable Energy Agency.
Minigrids are still at the “nascent stage” in Eswatini, according to the tender document. The country currently has one minigrid, a 35 kW, 200 kWh solar system that provides electricity for 21 homes and two churches in the remote village of Mvundla, located in the Manzini region towards the west of the country.
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