Soroti Solar Power Station
{{Short description|Solar power plant in Uganda}}
{{EngvarB|date=June 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2022}}
{{Infobox power station
| name = Soroti Solar Power Station
| name_official =
| image =
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| country = Uganda
| coordinates = {{coord|01|41|06|N|33|39|29|E|region:UG|display=inline, title}}
| location = Soroti, Soroti District{{cite web |access-date=15 August 2016 | date=9 August 2016 | url=http://bigstory.ap.org/article/605feef334d64e8ea3815ab95c442429/uganda-solar-power-plant-amid-african-bush-inspires-hope | title=In Uganda, solar power plant amid African bush inspires hope | first=Rodney | publisher=Associated Press | last=Muhumuza}}
| status = O
| construction_began = December 2015{{cite web | url=http://nape.or.ug/index.php/news-events/latest-news/125-sh60b-soroti-solar-project-nears-completion | accessdate=14 December 2016 | date=June 2016 | title=Sh60b Soroti solar project nears completion | publisher=National Organisation of Professional Environmentalists (NAPE) | location=Kampala | author=NAPE}}
| commissioned = 12 December 2016
| decommissioned =
| cost =
| owner = Total energy
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| solar_type = PV
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| ps_electrical_capacity = {{convert|10|MW|abbr=on}}
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The Soroti Power Station is a {{convert|10|MW|abbr=on}} solar power plant in Uganda.{{cite web | accessdate=23 February 2016 | first=LeAnne | url=http://www.thenational.ae/business/energy/dubais-access-power-to-build-10mw-solar-plant-in-uganda | title=Dubai's Access Power to build 10MW solar plant in Uganda | last=Graves | publisher=The National (Abu Dhabi) | date=17 February 2016}}{{cite web | accessdate=29 February 2016 | url=http://www.era.or.ug/index.php/2013-10-23-18-03-21/2013-10-23-18-12-48/latest-news/516-access-uganda-solar-limited-achieves-financial-close | title=Access Uganda Solar Limited achieves Financial Close | last=ERA | date=29 January 2016 | location=Kampala | publisher=Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERA)}} It was the largest grid-connected, "privately-funded solar power plant at opuyo, soroti district in uganda, outside of South Africa" at its commissioning and until the Pilot Solar Power Plant (20MW) of The Xsabo Group in Kabulasoke (Kabulasoke Solar Power Station) in Central Uganda was completed and commissioned in January 2019.{{cite web|accessdate=4 September 2017 | url=http://www.renewableenergyfocus.com/view/43763/construction-to-begin-on-east-africa-s-largest-solar-project/ |title=Construction to begin on East Africa's largest solar project | date=19 February 2016 |publisher=Renewable Energy Focus (REF) | author=REF News}}
Location
The power station is located in Soroti District, southeast of the city of Soroti in the Eastern Region of Uganda, approximately {{convert|282|km|mi}} by road north-east of Kampala, the country's capital and largest city.{{google maps| url=https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Kampala+Road,+Kampala/Opuyo+Solar+Power+Generation+Plant,+MMP5%2BJ9Q,+Soroti/@1.6858261,33.6586202,785m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m13!4m12!1m5!1m1!1s0x177db905c213a709:0x65794ed5c349e23e!2m2!1d32.5809105!2d0.3133012!1m5!1m1!1s0x1779b167304b7597:0x96ad400e3748711f!2m2!1d33.6584723!2d1.68658 |title=Road Distance Between Kampala, Uganda And Soroti Solar Power Plant, Opuyo, Soroti, Uganda |access-date=11 September 2021}}
The geographical coordinates of Soroti Solar Power Station are
1°41'06.0"N, 33°39'29.0"E (Latitude:1.685000; Longitude:33.658056).{{google maps| url=https://www.google.com/maps/place/1%C2%B041'06.0%22N+33%C2%B039'29.0%22E/@1.6851042,33.6551584,1282m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x0!8m2!3d1.685!4d33.6580556 |title=Location of Soroti Solar Power Station |access-date=11 September 2021}}
Overview
The power station has a 10 megawatt capacity. Its output is sold directly to the Uganda Electricity Transmission Company Limited for integration into the national grid. The power is evacuated via a substation near the station. It has been estimated that the energy generated could power approximately 40,000 homes located near the station, thereby minimizing transmission losses.{{cite web | url=http://ippjournal.com/2014/12/two-teams-selected-for-ugandan-solar-power-plants | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141229235944/http://ippjournal.com/2014/12/two-teams-selected-for-ugandan-solar-power-plants/ | url-status=dead | archive-date=29 December 2014 | title=Two Teams Selected for Ugandan Solar Power Plants | date=15 December 2014 | access-date=30 December 2014 | last=Martin | first=Miguel | publisher=IPPJournal.Com}} The power station, which consists of 32,680 photovoltaic panels, is Uganda's first grid-connected solar plant. The power station sits on {{convert|33|acre|0}} of land.{{cite web | location=Nairobi | url=https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/business/Uganda-first-10MW-solar-plant-comes-online/2560-3485508-42q9u6/index.html | title=Uganda's first 10MW solar plant comes online | first=Dicta | last=Asiimwe | newspaper=The EastAfrican | date=13 December 2016 | accessdate=1 May 2017}}
Developers
The power station was developed by a consortium of Access Power Limited (through its subsidiary Access Uganda Solar), a company based in the United Arab Emirates(Sunztech power),{{cite web | date=9 June 2015 | url=http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/Access-Infra-to-launch-in-Uganda--grow-across-Africa/-/539546/2745566/-/eacos9/-/index.html | title=Access Infra to launch In Uganda, grow across Africa | first=Matt | accessdate=9 June 2015 | last=Smith | newspaper=Business Daily Africa | location=Nairobi}}{{cite web | accessdate=6 January 2016 | url=http://www.busiweek.com/index1.php?Ctp=2&pI=2556&pLv=3&srI=53&spI=20 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171016071620/http://www.busiweek.com/index1.php?Ctp=2&pI=2556&pLv=3&srI=53&spI=20 | url-status=usurped | archive-date=16 October 2017 | title=$500m set for African renewable power | date=18 January 2015 | newspaper=East African Business Week | location=Kampala | first=John | last=Sambo}}Jeremiah, "SUNYTECH POWER COMPANY," November 2015, accessed 3 October 2016 and [http://www.grupotsk.com/ TSK Electrónica y Electricidad], a company based in Spain. They won the competitive bidding and were awarded the development contract at the same time as the developers of the Tororo Solar Power Station.{{cite web |work=Reuters.com | url=https://www.reuters.com/article/uganda-electricity-idUSL6N0TU3Q220141210 | title=Four firms to build 20 MW solar power plants in Uganda |date=10 December 2014 |access-date=15 August 2016 |author=Elias Biryabarema}}
As of February 2022, the power station has been sold to and is now owned by Total Eren, the renewable energy subsidiary of the French energy conglomerate, TotalEnergies.{{cite web| date=13 February 2022 |url=https://www.total-eren.com/realisation-eren/soroti/ | title=About Soroti Solar Power Station |work=Total-Eren.com | access-date=13 February 2022 |author=Total Eren |location=Paris, France}}
Construction costs, funding, and commissioning
The construction costs were US$19 million.{{cite web | url=https://www.esi-africa.com/news/uganda-soroti-solar-power-plant-comes-online | title=Uganda: Soroti solar power plant comes online | accessdate=15 December 2016 | date=13 December 2016 | publisher=ESI-Africa.com | author=ESI-Africa}} The project received partial funding from the European Union Infrastructure Trust Fund through KfW.{{cite web | url=http://africa-investment-exchange.com/2014/12/15/era-and-get-fit-announce-the-first-20-mw-of-solar-photovoltaic-pv-projects-to-be-developed-in-uganda | title=ERA and GET FiT announce the first 20 MW of Solar Photovoltaic (PV) projects to be developed In Uganda | date=15 December 2014 | accessdate=30 December 2014 | last=Marks | first=Jon | publisher=Africa Investment Exchange}} On 12 December 2016, the solar plant was switched on.{{cite web | date=12 December 2016 | url=https://af.reuters.com/article/ugandaNews/idAFL5N1E73XY | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161214181059/http://af.reuters.com/article/ugandaNews/idAFL5N1E73XY | url-status=dead | archive-date=14 December 2016 | title=Uganda starts up first solar power plant in bid to tap renewables | publisher=Reuters.com | last=Biryabarema | first=Elias | accessdate=14 December 2016}}{{cite web | accessdate=14 December 2016 | location=Kampala | url=http://www.monitor.co.ug/Business/Markets/Soroti-Solar-Plant-a-big-success--donors-say/688606-3485266-uqce87/index.html | newspaper=Daily Monitor | title=Soroti Solar Plant a big success, donors say | date=12 December 2016 | last=Otage | first=Stephen}}
See also
{{stack|{{Portal|Uganda|Renewable energy}}}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.newvision.co.ug/new_vision/news/1419898/10mw-solar-power-project-launched-soroti 10MW solar power project launched in Soroti]
- [http://www.redpepper.co.ug/uganda-secures-funding-for-key-solar-pv-projects/ Uganda Secures Funding for Key Solar PV Projects]
- {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20140409030620/http://busiweek.com/index1.php?Ctp=2&pI=470&pLv=3&srI=53&spI=20&cI=11 Uganda To Increase Power Generation]}}
- [http://www.newvision.co.ug/news/666483-20mw-of-solar-energy-to-be-added-to-national-grid.html 20MW of solar energy to be added to national grid]
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{{Soroti District|state=collapsed}}
Category:Solar power stations in Uganda
Category:Eastern Region, Uganda