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The inauguration of the Pâ and Kodéni photovoltaic power plants is a giant step towards meeting Burkinabè electricity needs. The plants will boost Sonabel’s solar production to 153 peak megawatts, an increase of 31.37%. For the Minister of Energy, Mines and Quarries, Simon Pierre Boussim, the commissioning of these plants marks the government’s firm resolve to absorb the structural deficit in electricity production.

Saturday December 16th, 2023 will remain in the history of Burkina Faso. The day saw the inauguration of two major photovoltaic power plants in Kodéni, in the city of Bobo-Dioulasso, in the Hauts-Bassins region, and in Pâ, in the Boucle du Mouhoun region. The construction of these solar power plants marks the government’s firm resolve to reduce the country’s structural deficit in electricity production, and its energy dependency, by producing clean, less expensive energy.

Burkina Faso, which has no large water resources or fossil fuels, has taken the firm decision to do its utmost to exploit one of its main natural resources, namely the sun. The government intends to capitalize on this immense potential to meet the country’s energy needs and, even better, to take advantage of the comparative advantages of photovoltaic solar energy over fossil fuels, particularly thermal energy.

With this in mind, the government has signed public-private partnership contracts with independent power producers for a total capacity of 150 megawatts. The inauguration of the two photovoltaic power plants is the fruit of this government-private sector partnership, resolutely committed to Burkina Faso’s quest for energy independence.