In a significant step towards a clean energy future, Globeleq, a leading independent power utility in Africa, and its project partners, Source Energia and Electricidade de Moçambique (EDM) have celebrated the “groundbreaking” of the 19MWp (15MWac) Cuamba solar PV plant and a 2 MW (7MWh) energy storage system.

 The Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, Dr. Ernesto Max Tonela, was the official guest at the Cuamba power plant ceremony. This project will contribute to the government’s “Energy for All” strategy, which aims to achieve universal energy access by 2030.

 The $32 million project is located in the Tetereane district of the city of Cuamba, Niassa province, about 550 km west of the coastal city of Nacala and is the first IPP in Mozambique to integrate a utility-scale energy storage system and includes an upgrade of the existing Cuamba substation.  The electricity will be sold through a 25-year power purchase agreement with EDM.

Jonathan Hoffman, Globeleq’s Chief Development Officer, commented, “This project is cutting-edge for the future of large-scale energy storage in Mozambique and the region.  Cuamba Solar, along with all of our other energy projects we are working on, consolidates our ongoing commitment to contribute to the country’s long-term energy security and development on a low-carbon path.”

Marcelino Gil, president of EDM, explained EDM’s commitment to the country’s energy mix based on Mozambique’s abundance of resources, with the visibility of promoting clean and renewable energy towards the commitment of universal energy access for all Mozambicans by 2030.

 The project is expected to require about 200 workers during construction, many of whom will be recruited from the local community.

 Globeleq will supervise the construction and operation of the plant, with the support of Source Energia.

 With this project, TSK strengthens its presence in Mozambique where it has been working for more than 8 years and reinforces its commitment to the environmental, social and business sustainability of the country, thus contributing with an innovative development that will surely accelerate the growth of the region.