OLC gets second solar PV contract from regional distributor
Another contract awarded by a regional electricity distributor to a solar power joint venture, confirms that distributors are strategically moving to generation, gradually reducing their dependence on the national electricity utility, NamPower.
This week OLC Solar Energy announced it has been awarded a contract from the central regional distributor, Cenored, for the construction of a 6.4 MW solar plant in Tsumeb. This is OLC Solar Energy’s second contract from a regional distributor. The contract has been finalised in December last year.
In November 2016, OLC Solar Energy signed a contract with regional distributor, Erongored, for a 3MW power plant in Arandis. This plant is due to come on stream next month. Construction started in January 2017.
OLC Solar Energy is a joint venture between O&L Energy and Croniment Mining Power Solutions from Germany.
The Managing Director of O&L Energy, Mr Bernd Walbaum said “Construction of the [Tsumeb] plant is expected to kick off towards the middle of this year while we plan to be operational by the end of 2017.”
“We aim to position ourselves as leaders for renewable energy by being a respected Independent Power Producer (IPP) in Namibia. Together with our joint venture partner Cronimet Power Solutions GmbH, I am confident that we will be very successful in our endeavours and the projects we embark on” Walbaum added.
The Managing Director of Croniment Power Solutions, Mr Steffen Kammerer said “With this second award of a highly competitive tender by Namibia’s regional energy distributors, it is further testimony to the competitive advantage our strategic joint venture is delivering to our stakeholders in Namibia’s maturing Photo-Voltaic market.”
Executive Chairman of the O&L Group, Sven Thieme stressed the environmental sustainability of the project, congratulating OLC Solar Energy, and the O&L subsidiary O&L Energy. This contract takes O&L to an even higher level of involvement to contribute to the dream of a Namibia that relies on its own energy resources, he commented.
