Yemen Monitor/ Aden/ Agencies:
The internationally recognized Yemeni government has announced the start of expansion work on the solar power plant in Aden, with funding from the UAE. The expansion aims to add 120 megawatts (MW) to the plant’s capacity, bringing its total output to 240 MW, as part of efforts to address the ongoing electricity crisis.
The Yemeni government signed the expansion agreement with Masdar, the Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company, in early May in Abu Dhabi. This project is the second phase following the launch of the plant’s initial phase last year, which was the first and largest strategic project for generating clean, renewable energy in Yemen.
According to Reuters report, Aidarous Al-Zubaidi, a member of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council, confirmed that the expansion will significantly help alleviate the suffering of Aden’s residents during the upcoming summer. Al-Zubaidi, who also heads the UAE-backed STC, indicated that this strategic project will be followed by “the establishment of similar stations in other governorates” to tackle the energy crisis more broadly.
For his part, Ali Al-Shamri, CEO of Global South Utilities, the company implementing the project, stated that the second phase of the expansion will be completed before next summer to ensure timely energy provision, according to Reuters.
This project, which is the largest of its kind in Yemen, is being carried out in partnership with the Ministry of Electricity and Energy. According to ministry data, the second phase will generate about 247,000 megawatt-hours (MWh) of electricity annually—enough to power approximately 687,000 homes. The expansion is also expected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by about 142,000 tons per year, supporting a move toward greater reliance on renewable energy sources.
On the same day, government officials also inaugurated a similar power station in Shabwah governorate, also with funding and support from the UAE, reflecting a growing interest in solar energy as a solution to the country’s electricity crisis.
