MASERU, July 11 (Xinhua) -- Lesotho on Friday broke ground on the second phase of the Ha-Ramarothole Solar Power Project in the southern district of Mafeteng, marking another step toward strengthening the country's energy security and advancing its clean-energy transition.
The 50-megawatt (MW) expansion will increase the project's total installed capacity to 80 MW, further deepening Lesotho's cooperation with China in the renewable energy sector.
Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony, Lesotho Prime Minister Samuel Matekane commended the contractors for completing the first phase on schedule and urged them to maintain the same high standards during the implementation of Phase II.
He noted that the expansion reaffirms Lesotho's commitment to sustainable energy solutions that can meet growing domestic electricity demands, secure a stable supply of clean power, and advance low-carbon development.
Matekane added that the total 80 MW output will complement the 72 MW generated at the Muela Hydropower Station, significantly reducing the southern African kingdom's reliance on electricity imports.
Lesotho currently spends nearly 1 billion maloti (about 56 million U.S. dollars) annually on electricity imports, funds that could otherwise be directed toward key national development priorities, he said.
Matekane also expressed confidence that the project would further strengthen the longstanding friendship between Lesotho and China while reaffirming his government's commitment to expanding domestic renewable energy generation.
Chinese Ambassador to Lesotho Yang Xiaokun said the project is a tangible outcome of the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) and has received strong support from the Lesotho government since its inception.
Describing Lesotho's abundant sunshine as one of the landlocked country's greatest natural assets, Yang said the first phase of the project has already begun converting this resource into clean and sustainable energy for the Basotho people.
Representatives of the project's implementing companies said the 30 MW first phase had generated 170 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity by June this year.
The second phase will add a 50-MW solar power plant, along with a substation connection and a five-year operation and maintenance service agreement.
Once completed, the expanded facility is expected to generate about 95 million kWh of electricity annually and approximately 2.4 billion kWh over its 25-year operational lifespan. The project is also expected to create more than 1,000 local jobs and help train a new generation of solar engineers in Lesotho.
The groundbreaking ceremony was attended by cabinet ministers, senior government officials, traditional leaders and members of the diplomatic corps. ■