by Murad Abdo
ADEN, Yemen, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- A 53-megawatt solar power plant was inaugurated in southeastern Yemen's Shabwa Governorate on Thursday, which is expected to be a turning point in the country's battle with electricity shortages.
According to local authorities, the facility, covering approximately 600,000 square meters near Ataq, the provincial capital, will provide clean and stable electricity to more than 330,000 rural residential houses.
It is the second in a series of the UAE-backed renewable energy initiatives, aiming to alleviate the country's electricity crisis and promote sustainable development.
For years, residents of Shabwa and other southern Yemeni provinces, including Aden, endured crippling electricity shortages, forcing households and businesses to depend on costly fuel generators.
"In the past, our nights were filled with darkness despite spending half of my income on diesel for a small generator," said Abdullah Salem, a father of four in Ataq. "Now, I can save the money I used to spend on fuel for my children's education. It feels like a new beginning."
Teachers and healthcare workers also noted the difference. "Our classrooms now have light and fans throughout the day," said Ahmed Hassan, a schoolteacher. "Students can study without interruptions, and it gives them real hope for the future."
Local Yemeni government officials described the project as more than just an energy solution.
They noted that it is part of broader efforts to rebuild Yemen's energy infrastructure and reduce reliance on diesel-powered grids that have struggled for years amid conflict and economic crisis.
Yemen's first solar power plant, a 120-megawatt facility in the Al-Buraiqah district of Aden, was inaugurated on July 15, 2024, and supplies electricity to more than 70,000 households.
According to local officials, similar plants are also planned in Taiz, a southwestern city located in the Yemeni highlands, and Socotra, a remote Yemeni island in the Indian Ocean, expanding renewable energy access across the country's southern parts.
Energy experts in Aden said the solar-powered transformation projects reflect a long-term vision rather than short-term relief.
"By reducing dependence on diesel and fuel imports, these solar plants strengthen energy security and open the door for broader development in southern Yemen," said Samir Al-Ahmadi, an energy economist based in Aden.
He said that "such projects are placing Yemen on the clean energy map of the region, which will have lasting benefits for generations to come."
Yemen has been grappling with severe electricity shortages for years, particularly in rural and remote areas where access to the grid is limited. The country's public power infrastructure has suffered extensive damage during the ongoing conflict, now in its second decade.
Chronic fuel shortages and the deterioration of generation and transmission infrastructure have led to prolonged blackouts in major cities, including Aden and several southern governorates, disrupting daily life and essential services. ■
