Algeria commissions 400 MW of solar power, targets 1,400 MW by year-end

Algeria's Minister of Energy and Renewable Energies, Mourad Adjal, announced the recent commissioning of two solar photovoltaic power plants with a combined capacity of 400 megawatts MW. These plants, located in Tendla El M'Ghair wilaya and El Ghrous Biskra wilaya, each contribute 200 MW. This development is part of a broader strategy to add over 1,400 MW of additional capacity to the electricity grid by the end of the current year, with projects to be delivered successively. These achievements mark the first phase of a 3,200 MW program, which is central to the national plan to produce 15,000 MW of solar energy by 2035. The 3,200 MW program involves 22 stations and is currently 40% complete, demonstrating Algeria's commitment to energy transition and diversification of its electricity mix. In parallel, the Ministry of Energy is focusing on connecting large-scale agricultural investments. Minister Adjal met with the Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development, and Fisheries, Yacine El-Mahdi Oualid, to review energy supply for major agricultural hubs in the South. This meeting, attended by the interim CEO of Sonelgaz, aligns with President Abdelmadjid Tebboune's directives to ensure energy support for national food security. Discussions covered accelerating work on sovereignty projects, including the Qatari "Baladna" powdered milk project, the "Cevital" group's sugar beet project, and the Italian "BF" group's large-scale cereal production project. Sonelgaz presented technical re