The Eswatini Energy Regulatory Authority (ESERA) is moving ahead with a 20 MW solar project.
The Tsamela solar PV plant, to be built in the village of Motshane in the northwestern Hhohho region, is the first to be implemented under the regulator’s 75 MW solar programme that will develop five solar sites in total.
Construction is set to begin early next year, with a target commercial operation date in July 2027. The project has a total project cost of over SZL 400 million ($23.6 million) and is being funded with debt financing led by Standard Bank.
A 25-year power purchase agreement with the state-run Eswatini Electricity Company is already in place. The project is expected to generate 47.8 GWh of energy in its first year of operation, enough to offset 4.8% of Eswatini’s current electricity exports.
South African independent power producer Anthem is developing the project. Richard Gorden, the company’s executive chairman, confirmed the project will create approximately 150 jobs during construction and ten permanent jobs during operations.
Eswatini currently has 28.7 MW of operational solar, according to the Africa Solar Industry Association’s (AFSIA) project database.
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