USTDA Supports 60 MW Solar Power Plant in Tanzania
September 25, 2015
(USTDA)
ARLINGTON, Va. – Today, the U.S. Trade and
Development Agency awarded a grant to NextGen
Solawazi Limited to support the development of
a 60-megawatt (MW) solar photovoltaic power
plant in Shinyanga, a city in northwestern
Tanzania. The grant supports a feasibility
study that will evaluate the technical and
commercial viability of the power plant,
conduct environmental and social impact
assessments, and provide the necessary analysis
for NextGen Solawazi to seek implementation
financing. This project is critically
important to Tanzania’s economic growth as,
according to the World Bank, only 15 percent of
its population has access to electricity.
“USTDA is pleased to continue our work with
NextGen Solawazi to develop renewable energy in
Tanzania,” said Director Leocadia I. Zak, who
signed the grant agreement along with NextGen
Solawazi Limited Managing Director Mayank
Bhargava. “This project presents a valuable
opportunity to draw upon U.S. technical
expertise to deploy new energy generation
capacity in Shinyanga.”
“Tanzania’s National Strategy for Poverty
Reduction and Growth has identified limited
power generation capacity and poor electricity
access as the most critical issue for
development,” said Mr. Bhargava. “Energy
generation from the solar plant will not only
electrify an estimated 210,000 households, but
also act as a catalyst to attract other
commercial enterprises by providing reliable,
plentiful and cheaper electricity.”
The feasibility study will be undertaken by
U.S. engineering and technical consulting
company Clean Energy Consulting &
Education, LCC (Phoenix, Ariz.). The project
builds upon the Agency’s previous collaboration
with NextGen Solawazi, including the provision
of an Owner’s Engineer who is supporting
efforts to build a 5-MW solar plant in Kigoma,
Tanzania. Both of these projects advance the
goals of Power Africa, a U.S. government-led
initiative to add cleaner, more efficient
electricity generation capacity across the
sub-continent.
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