IFC to help commission solar power plant in Afghanistan
The Government of Afghanistan will work with IFC on an initial 40 Mw solar plant that will develop a new model for subsequent solar projects, helping the country to reach its 2,000 Mw goal.
New Delhi: International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, announced it has signed an agreement with the government of Afghanistan to design a 40 megawatt (Mw) solar power plant that will more than double the country’s current solar energy capacity.
In Afghanistan, electricity consumption is among the lowest in the world with only about 28 percent of Afghans connected to the grid. The country imports up to 80 percent of its energy and frequent blackouts reaches up to 15 hours a day in some parts of Afganistan.
The Government of Afghanistan will work with IFC on an initial 40 Mw solar plant that will develop a new model for subsequent solar projects, helping the country to reach its 2,000 Mw goal.
“This public-private partnership (PPP) would play a pivotal role in helping provide access to more reliable and predictable electricity services that will have a positive impact on businesses and households in Afghanistan,” said Mohammad Humayon Qayoumi, Afghanistan’s Finance Minister.
The agreement will see IFC’s PPP advisory experts supporting the government to design and competitively tender the project, helping attract solar companies to develop the solar photovoltaic power plant.
IFC’s work with the government will be funded by the UK Department of International Development through DevCo, a multi-donor facility affiliated with the Private Infrastructure Development Group, and by the Global Infrastructure Facility.
“Given the scale of Afghanistan’s needs, the private sector has the potential to be transformative in supporting the country’s infrastructure development,” said Mouayed Makhlouf, IFC’s regional director for the Middle East and North Africa.
IFC has invested around $216 million in a number of projects in the telecommunications, hospitality, and financial sectors.
Source: energy.economictimes.indiatimes
