East Africa’s ‘largest’ solar plant now in operation

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
The new 10MW facility will generate clean, low-carbon, sustainable electricity to 40,000 homes, schools and businesses in the Soroti District. Source: APO

What is claimed to be East Africa’s largest solar offering is now online in the form of the 10MW PV plant in Soroti, Uganda.

Located on just over 13 hectares of land and comprised of 32,680 modules, the facility is also the country’s first grid-connected plant and will provide enough clean energy to power 40,000 homes.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Unlock unlimited access for 12 whole months of distinctive global analysis

Photovoltaics International is now included.

  • Regular insight and analysis of the industry’s biggest developments
  • In-depth interviews with the industry’s leading figures
  • Unlimited digital access to the PV Tech Power journal catalogue
  • Unlimited digital access to the Photovoltaics International journal catalogue
  • Access to more than 1,000 technical papers
  • Discounts on Solar Media’s portfolio of events, in-person and virtual

Or continue reading this article for free

According to Access Uganda Solar Ltd, a partnership between Access Power and EREN Renewable Energy who own and operate the plant, it has potential to expand by a further 20MW.

The plant was developed under the Global Energy Transfer feed-in tariff (GET FiT); a renewable project scheme managed by Germany’s KfW Development Bank in partnership with Uganda’s Electricity Regulatory Agency (ERA). It was funded in part by the EU’s Africa Infrastructure Trust Fund via €8.7 million result-based premium payments, and also by the governments of Norway, Germany and the UK.

The US$19 million Soroti plant was inaugurated today by the Ugandan minister of state for energy D’Ujanga Simon, alongside Access Power and EREN Renewable Energy representatives.

“The Access Solar Uganda 10MW grid-connected solar P.V project we are launching today is so far the largest in the East African region,” said ERA CEO Ziria Tibalwa. “We are so proud of this outcome of our stable and favorable regulatory environment that has produced such a leading project in the East African Region. We congratulate Access Solar and the people of Uganda upon this milestone.”

While there are larger PV projects in the pipeline in the region, Access claims the plant in Soroti is the largest connected facility.

Read Next

May 30, 2025
Independent power producer (IPP) Aquila Clean Energy has started construction on a 52MW agrivoltaics (agriPV) project in Italy.
May 30, 2025
Solar and wind curtailment have increased by 29% between 2023 and 2024 in California, according to the US Energy Information Administration.
May 30, 2025
Swiss solar manufacturer Meyer Burger has abandoned module production activities at its manufacturing facility in Goodyear, Arizona, US.
May 30, 2025
Tasmania’s George Town council approved plans for a 288MW solar PV power plant this week, which is being pursued in Australia by German renewable energy developer ib vogt.
May 29, 2025
The German government is seeking 2.2GW of ground-mounted solar capacity in the most recent round of its public renewable energy tender scheme.
May 29, 2025
Beleaguered Swiss solar manufacturer Meyer Burger has reportedly laid off an unconfirmed number of employees at its US module manufacturing facility.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
June 17, 2025
Napa, USA
Upcoming Webinars
June 30, 2025
10am PST / 6pm BST
Solar Media Events
July 1, 2025
London, UK
Solar Media Events
July 1, 2025
London, UK
Solar Media Events
July 8, 2025
Asia