SkyPower Global, a solar developer, has forged a Joint Development Agreement with Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), marking a significant stride toward the realization of the Green Giant project's initial phase in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The collaboration, announced recently, is set to accelerate the construction of the 200-megawatt (MW) first phase of the Green Giant project. SkyPower, primarily owned by community-focused real estate and infrastructure developer CIM Group, had previously inked a power purchase agreement (PPA) with the DRC's state-owned utility, Societe Nationale d'Electricite (SNEL), securing 1,000 MW of solar power generation capacity.
According to statements from SkyPower, this latest agreement with AFC is a pivotal step in fulfilling the terms of the aforementioned PPA. All requisite approvals for the initial phase of the project have been obtained, alongside the completion of land allocation procedures, paving the way for construction commencement by 2025.
Amadou Wadda, Senior Director of Project Development and Technical Solutions at AFC, expressed optimism regarding the collaboration, stating, “Through this collaboration, we aim to contribute significantly to rapid industrialization, local job creation, sustainable economic growth, and a pragmatic transition to net zero in DRC and Africa as a whole.”