Soleos Energy and Melci Holdings to build 200 MW photovoltaic plant in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Soleos Energy and a partner specialising in electrical engineering, Melci Holdings, are preparing to start construction of a 200 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) plant in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Soleos Energy said that the groundbreaking ceremony for the €184.5 million project will take place on 19 October in the village of Fipango, in the Kipushi territory, within the Haut-Katanga province, and that construction work should begin immediately afterwards.

Once completed by the end of 2025, the PV park will have the capacity to produce around 350 million kWh per year and will sell it to the national power company Société Nationale d’Electricité (SNEL) under a 25-year contract.

As stated by Soleos Energy’s CFO Jason Temasfieldt, the company aims to implement up to 1 GW of PV projects in the country. According to local media reports citing the DRC’s Minister of Foreign Trade Julien Paluku Kahongya, the current project is the pilot phase of a 500 MW plan.