300 MW Solar & Storage Plant For Mozambique

• NCCL is conducting a feasibility study for a solar and storage project in Mozambique with up to 300 MW PV capacity
• WSP Group will carry out the study for the grid connected project to be located in Tete region over the next 4 months
• Power generated may be sold to offtakers within Mozambique or sold to the SAAP, the company stated

African power development company Ncondezi Energy Limited (NCCL) has hired WSP Group Africa (Pty) Ltd to conduct a feasibility study for a solar power plant with up to 300 MW capacity along with battery energy storage system (BESS) in Mozambique.

NCCL says the entire eligible concession region covering over 25,000 hectares in Moatize and Chiuta districts have a potential to host over 5 GW of solar PV generation capacity. The proposed project is expected to come up on either of the 3 preferred sites of around 500 MW generation potential each that's already been identified.

Over the next 4 months, WSP will take a modular design approach for the feasibility study of the project allowing for greater flexibility. It may also look into scaled development program for the said project starting with 30 MW, 60 MW, 100 MW, 200 MW and finally 300 MW.

On completion, it will be connected to the national grid. NCCL is considering solar power generated to be sold to offtakers within Mozambique and the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP).

"The Solar Project is uniquely positioned to take advantage of existing advanced development work completed for the Ncondezi 300 MW thermal power plant that can be easily transitioned to the Solar Project. The Company estimates that in addition to reducing development costs this has the potential to accelerate first power to the grid by 2024, using existing long lead time work streams already completed or at an advanced stage," stated NCCL that will have its green energy subsidiary Ncondezi Green Power Holding Ltd (NGP) executing the project.

A year back in June 2021, NCCL proposed to launch a solar and storage joint venture (JV) company with South Africa's NESA targeting commercial and industrial (C&I) segment within Mozambique and South Africa to start with (see New Solar+Battery Storage JV In Africa).

In June 2022, Solarcentury Africa, Renewable Energy Services Africa (RESA) and Checunda Investimentos signed a joint development agreement to deliver 100 AC Chimuara Solar Park Project in Central Mozambique. It will come up near Chimuara substation.