Equatorial Guinea signed a $750 million framework contract in Malabo on 3 November with China Machinery Engineering Corporation (CMEC) and Beijing Weineng Investment to build and operate a 500-megawatt-peak (MWp) solar plant. The Chinese companies will finance the plant privately under a build-own-operate-transfer model and hand it to the state after a period still to be agreed; the site, schedule and power price have not been disclosed. The contract follows talks opened in September with Beijing Weineng on a smaller $150 million solar investment. The government says the plant would double national generating capacity, but its value depends on the price the state utility agrees to pay and on grid links able to absorb the output.
Sources
- Guinea Ecuatorial Press (official): https://www.guineaecuatorialpress.com/noticias/guinea_ecuatorial_firma_un_contrato_de_750_millones_de_dolares_para_construir_una_central_fotovoltaica_de_500_mwp
- EcoMatin: https://ecomatin.net/guinee-equatoriale-la-chine-sengage-a-investir-439-milliards-fcfa-dans-une-mega-centrale-solaire
- Office of the Vice-President (La Vice Press): https://www.lavicepress.org/post/guinea-ecuatorial-proyecta-duplicar-su-capacidad-el%C3%A9ctrica-con-una-central-fotovoltaica-de-500-mw
- Sika Finance (background, 31 Oct): https://www.sikafinance.com/marches/guinee-equatoriale-le-chinois-beijing-weineng-confirme-son-ambition-et-porte-son-projet-energetique-a-500-mw_65393