| Work Detail |
The initiative is set to provide electricity to more than 200,000 people in the south of Senegal by 2026 Work on a solar energy and battery storage project in Senegal, touted to be the biggest in West Africa once it goes live, is set to begin next month after an EPC (Engineering, Procurement and Construction) contract for its development was recently signed. The Kolda project will encompass a 60MWp PV solar plant coupled with a 90MWh storage system. An 80MWh usable battery solution designed to strengthen grid resilience is set to be deployed. This battery storage system will provide electricity for up to three consecutive hours during evening peak demand, while also supporting the stability of frequency and voltage levels on Senegal’s national grid, one of the project’s developers said. Last November, Axian Energy confirmed that it closed a €84 million (around $89m) financing deal for the project set to provide clean, reliable energy for more than 230,000 people (or 25,000 households) in Senegal’s Kolda in the Casamance region in the south of the country. Axian Energy said the project is scheduled to be completed by 2026. It will focus on residential and business customers. The company confirmed recently that it signed an EPC with Voltalia and Entech “for the development of the energy generation and storage infrastructure of the NEA Kolda project, which will be the largest solar power plant with battery energy storage systems (BESS) in West Africa. “This agreement paves the way for the construction to begin in May 2025, with the deployment of a 60MWp photovoltaic plant coupled with a 90MWh storage system.” What the project partners will be responsible for on Senegal solar, BESS project Voltalia is to supply the PV infrastructure for the solar power plant, which will operate on Senegal’s national grid managed by SENELEC. Entech will deploy the 80MWh usable battery solution designed to strengthen grid resilience. “Axian Energy will lead and coordinate all phases of the development, construction and commissioning of the project, ensuring timely execution and strict compliance with quality standards for EPC works.” Axian Energy CEO Benjamin Memmi said the signing of the EPC contract marked a key milestone for the success of the Kolda project, enabling construction to begin in May 2025. AFSIA’s Africa Solar Outlook 2025 report pointed out that an increasing number of African countries are starting Requests for Proposals (RfPs) for projects including both solar and storage, as there is a growing understanding of the technical advantages of storage as well as its price evolution. Senegal aiming for universal access with the help of solar energy In January the World Bank, in a feature on the transformative impact of a stable electricity supply since the beginning of 2025 in Ndorong Serere – a village located 100km from Senegal’s capital city Dakar – said the country’s commitment to universal electricity access is supported by innovative financing and strategic partnerships. This includes the Senegal Energy Access Scale Up Project with $150m in financing from the International Development Association (IDA). The World Bank said the project aims to build and rehabilitate nearly 4,000km of power lines. It will bring electricity to 200,000 households, electrify 600 health clinics and 200 schools and ensure that 100% of distribution infrastructure is resilient to climate related events. A least-cost geospatial electrification plan is also in development to optimise efforts. “Senegal’s energy strategy prioritises mobilising $2 billion in private investments. Recognising that achieving universal access cannot rely solely on public resources, the approach leverages private sector innovation and efficiency to meet ambitious targets,” said the World Bank. With a national electricity access rate of 84%, Senegal is making progress towards universal energy access, yet more than 30% of rural communities remain disconnected from the grid. As part of a Just Energy Transition Partnership, Senegal has committed to bold reforms to increase renewable energy to 40% of its generation mix by 2030 and expand total generation capacity by 70%, said the World Bank. |
