The Italian engineering company Renco has announced that the 20-megawatt solar power plant, in Mecufi district, northern Mozambican province of Cabo Delgado, may be operational by December 2026.
According to Pier Evangelista, Renco director in Mozambique, interviewed by AIM, the company is taking a step towards strengthening access to electricity in Mecufi district, in partnership with the country’s publicly-owned electricity company, EDM.
The project, considered one of the ambitious private investments currently underway in the energy sector at the provincial level, is being developed by Renco, in partnership with national private investors and EDM.
“The project will allow clean energy to be injected into the national electricity grid and improve the energy security of the northern region of the country. It is a project that we expect to finish by December 2026 and that will put about 20 megawatts of power into the national grid”, he said.
The infrastructure, budgeted at 30 million Euros (34.8 million US dollars at the current exchange rate), emerges at a time when Mozambique is seeking to diversify its energy production sources and reduce its dependence on fossil fuels, increasingly investing in renewable energies.
According to Evangelista, the financing of the project is being secured through a Project Financing model, involving the direct participation of Renco and the support of a multilateral bank, demonstrating international confidence in the country’s energy potential.
In addition to the impact on energy supply, the Mecufi solar power plant is also generating positive effects on the economic and social landscape of the province.
Currently, around 130 direct workers are involved in the construction of the infrastructure, benefiting from practical and specialized training in the assembly of solar plants.
Evangelista also said that the project represents an opportunity for the development of technical skills in an area that could shape Mozambique’s energy future. “The workers will gain important experience in the construction of solar plants, which we hope will be the future of the country,” he said.
Although part of the workforce will be reduced after the completion of the works, Evangelista assured that a significant portion of the workers will remain linked to the project, especially in the areas of operation and maintenance of the plant.
Source: AIM
