Mauritania has signed a $300 million agreement with renewable energy developer Ewa Green Energy to construct a 220-megawatt (MW) hybrid power plant in the country.
The project is set to combine solar and wind generation, to become one of the largest renewable projects in the country’s history.
The facility will comprise 160 MW of solar power and 60 MW of wind power, supported by a 370-megawatt-hour (MWh) energy storage system designed to stabilize supply.
The project is expected to deliver an average of 60 MW daily, boosting Mauritania’s national grid and reducing reliance on electricity imports.
Under the agreement, Ewa Green Energy will build and manage the plant for 15 years before handing it over to the government.
During this period, Mauritania’s state utility Somelec will purchase the electricity generated under a long-term power purchase arrangement.
The plant is scheduled for commissioning by September 2026.
Energy sector reforms
The project aligns with Mauritania’s ongoing energy sector reforms aimed at increasing private participation.
In May 2025, Minister of Petroleum and Energy Mohamed Ould Khaled announced that the country plans to fully privatise power generation.
He confirmed that all future generation projects will be private-sector driven.
The Minister added that state-owned firms will exit power generatio and updated PPP and investment codes to attract investors.
As part of this shift, in June 2025, Somelec and the national mining company, SNIM, signed Heads of Terms for two power purchase agreements (PPAs).
The deals were reached with Saudi Arabia’s TAQA and Egypt’s GoGas Holding, signaling stronger foreign participation in Mauritania’s power sector.
The initiative is aimed at advancing Mauritania’s gas-to-power plan expected in 2028.
The consortium will replace heavy oil with natural gas from the Banda field to produce over 150 MW of electricity.
Other developments in Mauritania
Mauritania has also attracted multilateral backing for its clean energy expansion.
In January 2024, Minister Abdessalam Mohamed Saleh signed $289.5 million financing agreements with the AfDB in Nouakchott.
The funds will support solar generation, the Mauritania–Mali interconnection, and rural electrification projects.
The financing will support the 225 kV Mauritania–Mali electricity interconnection and its associated solar power plants under the PIEMM project.
It will also back the RIMDIR rural electrification programme, aimed at boosting productive energy use and expanding access in remote communities.
These developments reflect Mauritania’s ambition to modernize its power sector and draw in foreign investment.
The initiative also shows the country’s push for cleaner, more diversified energy while ensuring reliable supply for domestic and industrial needs.
