Sudan exempts solar systems from custom duties

Sudan has exempted solar PV systems from custom fees. The decision was confirmed by the Sudanese Customs Forces, a government office affiliated with the country’s Ministry of Interior, via its social media pages.

The move follows a fire that damaged the 1.25 GW Merowe Dam hydroelectric plant, the country’s largest hydroelectric power station. Located in the north of the country on the river Nile, the plant represents around two-thirds of Sudan’s total hydro capacity.

The fire broke out over last weekend, causing significant damage to power transmission lines and leading to power outages in the Khartoum, Northern, River Nile and Red Sea states of Sudan.

As of Tuesday (August 4), the country’s Ministry of Energy and Petroleum said maintenance and operations teams had successfully restored several thermal power generation units to the national grid. The ministry has also said an investigation to determine the cause of the fire is ongoing.

The decision to now exempt solar systems from custom fees is being seen as a way to incentivize the adoption of distributed solar systems and lessen the country’s reliance on hydropower and diesel generators.

The Africa Solar Industry Association (AFSIA) has tracked 1,074 MW of operational solar projects in Sudan, according to figures available in its project database. The majority of this figure is classified on the database as unidentified projects in the residential and C&I markets, inferred from Chinese solar imports into the country, including around 482 MW last year alone.