Semonkong Mini-Hydro Power in Lesotho – EnergyDemocracy
The Semonkong mini-grid is operated by the state-owned Lesotho Electricity Company, and was originally constructed in 1989 with assistance from Norwegian development funds.
The Lesotho Energy Policy (2015-2025) aims to increase independence through the development of both large and small scale energy projects, including micro-hydro, wind and solar power plants.
Lesotho plugs this gap by buying the remaining around 58 MW from South Africa and Mozambique at a much higher cost than its own produced power. The 'Muela plant has shut down for six months, from October 2024 to March 2025, so that maintenance on transfer and delivery tunnels can be done.
The 'Muela plant is the main source of power in Lesotho, but it is not the only one. A 30-MW solar farm, which is in Mafeteng and funded by China, also adds to the grid. However, its contribution is not only limited to the fact that it only produces power during the day but is unable to store electricity generated.
The reality for Lesotho is that, even if it the 'Muela plant produces all 72 MW that it is capable of each day and if the solar plant adds another 30 MW to that, this 102 MW produced each day is still way short of the 160 MW the country needs each day.
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