Operation started of 19 MW Cuamba solar photovoltaic power plant in Niassa

Mozambique’s government has inaugurated the 19 MW Cuamba solar photovoltaic (PV) power plant in Niassa province in the northwest of the country.

Cuamba Solar PV represents Mozambique's inaugural independent power project (IPP) to incorporate a utility-scale battery energy storage system with a capacity of 2 MW or 7 MWh. The solar facility was developed in collaboration between Globeleq, headquartered in London, and Source Energia, an African renewable energy platform. The design, supply, and commissioning of the plant were executed by Spain's Grupo TSK. Under a 25-year power purchase agreement, the electricity generated will be supplied to the state utility, Electricidade de Moçambique (EDM).

Valued at US$32 million, the project will provide electricity to approximately 22,000 Mozambicans and include an enhancement of the existing Cuamba substation. To support the project, the Emerging Africa Infrastructure Fund (EAIF) extended a US$19 million loan, while the London-based Private Infrastructure Development Group (PIDG), which manages the EAIF, provided US$7 million in viability gap funding to facilitate an affordable tariff fund, essential grid upgrades, and the energy storage system. The British International Investment's BII Plus technical assistance and support facility also played a crucial role in the project's success.