The Government of Eswatini has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Frazium Energy for a 100 MW solar and storage power project in the country in 2022. The facility will be located in Edwaleni in Manzini region.
Frazium Energy will be able to operate the facility for 40 years under a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) license granted. According to the company, this is the 1st SEZ license issued by the Eswatini government to a private developer.
The government said this project is part of Eswatini's Post COVID-19 Economic Recovery Plan.
Part of Frazer Solar group, Frazium Energy will deploy 75,000 solar panels to produce 100 million kWh of solar power annually on completion. Power generated will be fed into the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP) through which an electricity grid as well as a common electricity market is shared between countries in the Southern African Development Community (SADC), namely Angola, Botswana, Comoros, Democratic Republic of Congo, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe along with Eswatini.
In April 2021, Eswatini accorded preferred bidder status to Globeleq with its partner Sturdee Energy, and Africa Clean Energy Development for 45 MW AC solar PV capacity under the country's 1st tranche of procurement program for new generation capacity (see Eswatini Selects Bidders For 45 MW Solar Capacity).
There is another 100 MW solar power plant, power generated by which will be fed to the SAPP by its creator Botswana based Shumba Energy Limited (see 100 MW Solar Power Project Approved in Botswana). Meanwhile the proposed 5 GW solar power complex on the borders of Botswana and Namibia may also see power generated flowing into the SAPP grid (see Botswana & Namibia Sign MoI For 5 GW Solar Project).