The African Development Bank (AfDB) has approved a grant worth USD49.92 million for a 30 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) power plant with a storage facility of 15 MW/30 MWh in the town of Dekemhare in Eritrea.
The solar and storage project is expected to contribute towards increasing generation capacity and grid energy to 185 MW and 365 GWh per year, respectively. This will increase the share of renewable energy in the national mix from 3 per cent to 23 per cent. Of the total grant, USD30.42 million is being allocated under the Transition Support Facility and USD19.5 million from the African Development Fund. The Government of Eritrea is the beneficiary of the grant, and the Ministry of Energy and Mines is responsible for the project’s implementation. A part of the grant will also be allocated for technical assistance and capacity building to improve the operational performance of the grid.