The transitional parliament of Burkina Faso has granted its endorsement to a conventional loan deal totaling €45.7 million with the Export-Import Bank of China. This financing will be used for the development of the Donsin solar power plant and its accompanying electricity storage system.
Amid a pivotal moment in Burkina Faso’s international partnerships, China has extended a loan of 30 billion CFA francs (equivalent to €45.7 million) to bolster the country’s energy strategy. The concessional loan pact, inked in September 2023 between the Burkinabe government and the Export-Import Bank of China, has recently been endorsed by the Transitional Legislative Assembly (ALT), comprising 71 deputies.
The initiative, greenlit by the Council of Ministers on February 9, 2024, under the leadership of President Ibrahim Traoré, entails the establishment of a 25 MWp solar power plant at Donsin airport site in the Loumbila district of central Burkina Faso. Additionally, the facility will feature a 5 MW/20 MWh battery storage system for electricity.
Through this endeavor, Burkina Faso’s Ministry of Energy, Mines, and Quarries aims to enhance energy reliability at Donsin airport while augmenting the nation’s overall power generation capacity, presently at 714.4 MW. Notably, 220 MW of this capacity is imported. As of 2023, the Burkina Faso National Electricity Company (SONABEL) had anticipated importing 300 MW from Ivory Coast and Ghana to meet electricity demands.
Burkina Faso stands out as a leading solar energy producer within the West African grid, boasting an installed capacity of 92 MWp, surpassing neighboring countries in the sub-region such as Mauritania (84 MWp), Ivory Coast (37 MWp), and Mali (50 MWp). The completion of the Donsin solar power plant, expected within 15 months, is poised to bolster Burkina Faso’s energy autonomy.
