MINISTRY OF ENERGY SURVEY REPORT FOR SOL GROUP LIMITED UNITED KINGDOM (UK)
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO)/Local Representative of the aforementioned company in the person of Mr. Tamba Fallah contacted the Ministry of Energy (MoE) through the Permanent Secretary (PS) Mr. Tamba Gbetuwa to carry out a site identification for a proposed 100MWp solar farm around the proposed Indian-Exim 225/33kV substation project location at Port-Loko town.
A team comprised of a Director and two engineers were identified to work with SOL GROUP Limited UK. The team departed to the site on 12/02/2022 and returned to Freetown on 13/02/2022. During the site visit, a meeting was held with the Regent Paramount chief of Bakeloko chiefdom in Port-Loko and the Paramount Chief of Marampa Chiefdom in Lunsar.
In process of identifying a suitable proposed site location, we were advised by SOL GROUP Limied UK and its Local Representative/counterpart to carry out site identification for a proposed 10MWp solar farm as a pilot project in addition to the proposed100MWp solar farm at Port-Loko. The considerations for the 10MWp solar farm were to locate a load center town with an existing distribution grid and is capable of utilizing 50% of the pilot project demand upon Commercial Operation Date (COD).
Lunsar town was identified for the pilot project considering that there is an existing distribution grid (11/0.4kV), unserved local demands, and is home to Marampa mining Company/Gerald Mining Company which cater for its energy need. Currently, Marampa mining Company has an estimated power demand of 7.5MW.
Details for the proposed solar farm project sites at Port-Loko town (100MWp) and Lunsar town (10MWp) are given below:
OBSERVATIONS:
PORT LOKO TOWNSHIP
Ø There is an electricity infrastructure in Port-Loko town which comprises of 11/0.4kV distribution network, 2.4MW Hydro Electric Power Plant (HEPP), and a Genset. During the dry seasons (i.e., January to June) there is a generation deficit due to the decrease in dam water level and constraints in manning the Genset. At the time of preparing this report, the maximum load recorded for the township is 0.6MW.
Ø It is estimated that the implementation work for the proposed Indian-Exim 225/66/33kV transmission lines and its associated substations will commence in the last quarter of 2022. And this timeline is not in line with the project timelines of SOL GROUP Limited UK.
Ø The 50-acres of land required as advised by SOL GROUP Limited UK for the proposed project has been identified but the lease arrangements with the stakeholders and landowners are yet to be finalized.
Ø The proposed SOL GROUP Limited UK project site is approximately 2km away from the proposed Indian-Exim 225kV Substation.
Ø The terrain of the proposed project site is relatively flat with petty bushes.
Ø The coordinate for the proposed site is (8.775209°, -12.766403°) and that of the proposed Government of Sierra Leone 225kV substation is ( 8.771000°, -12.773660°)
LUNSAR TOWNSHIP:
Ø The proposed Supreme Energy Solutions project site is approximately 2.5km away from the existing 11kV Lunsar power station and approximately 6km from the Marampa mines site.
Ø There is an electricity infrastructure in Lunsar town which comprises of 11/0.4kV distribution network and a 1.6MW genset. At the time of preparing this report, the maximum load recorded for the township is 0.6MW.
Ø The lease arrangement for the proposed Supreme Energy Solutions project site is yet to be finalized but another meeting has been scheduled.
Ø The proposed project site is adjacent to an existing 33kV distribution overhead line feeding owned by Gerald Mining Company/Marampa Mining Company.
Ø The coordinate for the proposed site is ( 8.655742°, -12.506981°) and that of the existing power station is (8.686049°, -12.534309°)
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Ø Due to the mismatch in timelines between SOL GROUP Limited UK project and the proposed Government of Sierra Leone Project (i.e.; Indian-Exim project) and the existing low demand in both Port-Loko and Lunsar townships, a meeting is to be scheduled with the mining companies’ c/o Supreme Energy Solutions to ascertain their demands and willingness to off-take the power that will be generated by SOL GROUP Limited UK and to pinpoint proposed project site location.
Ø After the meeting with the mining companies which is to be organized by the Ministry of Energy, a meeting with the stakeholders and landowners will be scheduled to finalize the lease agreement.
Ø SOL GROUP Limited UK should be prepared to lease/purchase the proposed project location (50 Acres) at Port Loko town as quickly as possible in order to avoid delay.
PREPARED BY:
1. SHEBORA ONIKEH KAMARA
2. ING. AHMED FOMBA
3. ING. JAMES MACFOY
