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- Quilemba Solar, a joint venture of TotalEnergies (51%), Sonangol (30%), and Maurel & Prom (19%), is building Angola’s largest private solar power plant.
- The plant, located in Huíla province, will start with 35 MWc capacity and could expand to 80 MWc, powering 40,000 households by early 2026.
- Angola aims to boost energy access through more private and solar investment, as solar still plays a small role despite the country’s renewable potential.
Angola continues to lean on renewable sources for its energy mix, providing it with a good foundation to accelerate its energy transition. However, solar power has been underutilized, despite its potential to significantly extend access to electricity.
Having 70% of its electricity from hydropower, Angola maintains a predominantly renewable energy mix. Yet, access to electricity is uneven, reaching only one out of every two Angolans, and solar power’s role is still minor. The Quilemba project aims to change this landscape.
Located near Lubango in the Huíla province, the solar power plant being constructed by Quilemba Solar Lda will have an initial capacity of 35 MWc, expandable to 80 MWc, making it the country’s largest private photovoltaic power plant. It is set to become operational in the first half of 2026 and should eventually provide power to around 40,000 households.
“We are very pleased to contribute to the realization of the Quilemba solar power plant, a project that aligns perfectly with our sustainable development ambitions. This first industrial solar project of Maurel & Prom underscores our strong commitment to be a reliable partner for the Angolan government in the long run,” said Olivier de Langavant, CEO of M&P.
The Quilemba project fits into a broader drive towards technological diversification and openness to private investment. This approach is also supported by international partners. As an example, in June 2023, the US Import-Export Bank (US EXIMBANK) approved a loan of over $900 million to the Angolan Ministry of Energy for the construction of two solar power plants with a combined capacity exceeding 500 MW.
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