30 MW PV Plant Commissioned In Senegal

• 30 MW Santhiou Mekhe Solar Power project was officially commissioned in Senegal
• Solairedirect from France constructed the project and will also be in charge of providing operations and maintenance services
• Proparco of France has provided 80% of financing for the plant; the other 20% come from French infrastructure fund Meridiam, Senegalese sovereign fund Fonsis and Senegalese corporation Senergy SUARL
• The PV plant uses 92,000 solar modules and will serve electricity needs of 200,000 people

A new 30 MW solar power plant was officially launched in Senegal by the country's President Macky Sall.

The Santhiou Mekhe solar power station uses 92,000 solar modules and will serve the electricity needs of 200,000 people. The PV plant has been constructed by French energy company Engie's solar arm Solairedirect. It is the largest PV plant in Western Africa.

French development bank Proparco provided 80% of the financing or €34.5 million ($39.3 million) for the project. Along with Proparco, French infrastructure fund Meridiam, Senegalese sovereign fund Fonsis and Senegalese corporation Senergy SUARL provided the other 20%.  

Proparco and Meridiam are partnering for another Senegal based project at Merina Dakhar. In December 2016, Meridiam announced that it had completed financing for a 30 MW PV plant called Ten Merina in association with French construction company Eiffage and Solairedirect (see Senegal PV Plant Secures Financing).

Both PV plants – Santhiou Mekhe and Merina Dakhar – are part of the country's Plan Senegal Emergent (PSE), which outlines Senegal's roadmap to achieve 20% of renewable energy mix in its total energy mix by the end of 2017.