Uganda’s energy minister attends formal opening of his country’s largest solar farm
“Great benefits for this rural area” says EAIF’s Oscar Kang’oro
The Hon. D’Ujanga Simon, Uganda’s Minister of State for Energy, today (12th December) took part in a ceremony to mark the opening of his country’s largest solar farm, at Soroti in Eastern Uganda. The Emerging Africa Infrastructure Fund (EAIF) is one of the principal lenders to Access Soroti Ltd, the private sector company that built and is operating the plant. Electricity production began at the 10MW facility in late November.
Oscar Kang’oro, a Non-Executive Director of the Emerging Africa Infrastructure Fund, said that EAIF is supporting solar and small hydro power projects across Uganda.
“EAIF is fully engaged in Uganda and currently supporting eight renewable energy projects, including at Soroti. We see great benefits from small and renewable generating capacity, particularly in rural and semi-rural areas. New generating capacity can unlock economic potential, create new economic development opportunities, grow the productivity of public services and improve energy security. Most importantly, the arrival in a district of more dependable and more affordable electricity can transform and enhance the lives of many thousands of men, women and children.”
Made up of 32,680 of photovoltaic panels, the new facility is the country’s first grid-connected solar plant and will generate clean, low-carbon, sustainable electricity to 40,000 homes, schools and businesses in the area.
The plant will benefit from the GETFiT programme of tariff support, which is managed by KfW Development Bank and supported by the EU and the governments of Germany, Norway and the UK.
To read the full official press release on the formal opening of the Access Soroti solar farm follow the link below.
http://access-power.com/east-africas-largest-solar-plant-starts-operations/