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S.Sudan makes strides in green energy as govt solar-powers Juba

Author: Madram James | Published: January 19, 2025

Photo by Madrama James|18-01-2025

The unity government commissioned a 20-Megawatt- solar plant in Gondokoro, Central Equatoria State on Saturday as part of promoting green energy in South Sudan and lessening the power cost.

The Ministry of Energy and Dams in collaboration with Ezra Group and South Sudan Electricity cooperation also launched 14 Megawatts Battery Energy Storage System’s (BESS) during the inauguration exercise.

According to Ezra Group, the 20 Megawatts clean energy will serve 16,000 households in Juba with electricity and reduce tariffs.

Speaking at the launch,Vice President Taban Deng Gai encouraged more investors to build more clean energy as its crucial for developmental projects such as mining sector.

“We can put another about 10 Mini Dams that can produce 40 to 100 megawatts. This is another investment. We want people who can come and invest in dams

“If you put dams in Yei and in Sui River in Western Equatoria, also in  Raja in Western Bahr el Ghazal that will also produce electricity giving us chances of going to mining because mine needs a lot of energy.

“So we need more energy and we encourage more investors to come into energy. Come also in roads, build dams. Also transportation of electricity from Ethiopia and Uganda are other investments.”

The Minister of Energy and Dams, Peter Marcello Nasir Jelenge reiterated his government commitments in installing more solar power plants across the country.

“Considering that the country has a vast potential to tap solar energy, this solar plant is part of an aggressive campaign to install more and bigger solar power plants.

“As we inaugurate the first grid-type solar PV plant today, the government is also working with partners to commission Nesitu’s 20 megawatt solar power plant in the near future.”

On his part, Ezra Group’s Chief Operation Officer, Natanael Ghebrengus said the investment target is to reduce electricity tariffs to people and establish crude oil refinery facility in Juba.

“Ezra has taken different initiatives including this project we commissioned today plus the refinery that we have purchased and the modular refinery that is in place here, is still under construction or yet to be constructed.

“We have also invested in transport barges that will move from here to Bentiu or Melut, carrying crude  locally and refine it within Juba and use refined fuel here in Juba.”

According to Joseph Africano Bartel, Undersecretary, Ministry of Environment and Forestry, this power project will have 70% of the reduction in our carbon footprints from the energy.

“So we’ll have at least 70% of power in Juba, a clean energy. So the good thing with this, we’ll have a hybrid  because sometimes solar might be having some issue because of the sun.

“These 33 will be balancing it but the good thing, we’ll have 70% of the reduction in our carbon footprints from the energy.

“So in the Ministry of Environment, our plan is to generate 3,000 megawatts from clean energy. So solar will be part of it. When we go to the Fulla hydro, we can also get there wind, geothermal and natural gas.”

According to researchers, clean energy produce almost no harmful emissions such as carbon dioxide that are linked to numerous health problems.

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