Niël Terblanché
Namibia is preparing to begin work on its largest solar photovoltaic (PV) power station, an ambitious 100 MW facility known as the Sores |Gaib Power Station, roughly 33 kilometres northwest of Rosh Pinah in the Karas Region.
The initiative, led by the national utility NamPower, is a vital step in the country’s efforts to reduce dependence on imported electricity and expand its renewable energy presence.
The groundbreaking ceremony set for Thursday, 19 June 2025, will officially launch construction, which is expected to take approximately 18 months, culminating in commissioning by the second quarter of 2026.
NamPower has contracted a Chinese-led joint venture, a partnership between China Jiangxi International Economic and Technical Cooperation Co. Ltd and Zhejiang Chint New Energy Development Co. Ltd, to handle engineering, procurement and construction tasks.
The construction cost of N$1.6 billion will be funded by an 80 percent concessional loan from Germany’s KfW development bank, with NamPower covering the balance.
At present, Namibia’s total installed generation capacity stands at about 500–611 MW, of which roughly 145 MW is contributed by solar power plants.
When the Sores | Gaib plant becomes operational, it will raise solar PV’s share to almost one-third of national capacity, which is a major milestone in the nation’s green energy transition.
The chosen contractors are well-established in the country.
China Jiangxi International has delivered 61 projects in Namibia over the past two decades, while Zhejiang Chint brings extensive solar expertise.
NamPower overseeing consultant Mott MacDonald, has been enlisted to ensure quality and project delivery standards meet expectations.
Local industry will also receive a boost.
The project site will host approximately 300 000 solar panels across some 300 hectares, engaging up to 800 workers during peak construction, with 95 percent expected to be Namibian.
At least 25 percent of contract spending, an estimated N$350 million, will be earmarked for local suppliers, while a structured skills transfer plan seeks to build a sustainable domestic workforce for maintenance and future projects.
Namibia has steadily ramped up solar infrastructure over the past decade.
From small-scale RefFit IPP plants feeding the grid since 2015, such as the Omburu 20 MW station commissioned in June 2022, to recent allocations totalling 330 MW of solar energy capacity in the 2024 procurement plan, the country is progressively reducing its reliance on imports from South Africa and Zambia.
NamPower’s CEO, Simson Haulofu, noted that the Sores | Gaib plant is NamPower’s largest to date, and that integrating solar power will stabilise electricity tariffs and support broad economic growth.
He added that the project lays “a foundation for an environmentally conscious future,” reflecting long-term sustainability goals.
As global and national pressure mounts to transition towards cleaner energy systems, this project firmly positions Namibia to meet, and possibly exceed, its renewable energy goals while building local expertise and industrial capacity.
Once completed, the Sores |Gaib PV plant will fill a huge gap in a broader strategy to future-proof energy security, foster green job creation, and build a resilient, domestically grounded renewable energy sector.
