Sterling and Wilson Wins Solar Plus Battery Storage Contract

Sterling and Wilson has announced that its HES division has signed an EPC contract to construct a solar plus battery storage hybrid power plant in Niger.

Sterling and Wilson, one of the leading engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) companies in India, has announced that its Hybrid & Energy Storage division (HES) has signed an EPC contract to construct a Solar PV Battery Storage and Diesel Genset based hybrid power plant in Agadez, Niger, in West Africa.

The project contract has been signed by Sterling and Wilson in a consortium partnership with French EPC company Vergnet and SNS Niger.

The project will include the commissioning of an 18.9 MWp solar power plant along with an 11.55 MWh/ 3.0 MVA battery energy storage system (BESS), and a 6.54 MVA (2.18 x 3 MVA) diesel generator with 20 kV substation & evacuation line up to the Nigelec Substation in Agadez. The project was tendered by the Nigerian Electricity Company (NIGELEC) and the consortium will be responsible for a two-year operation and maintenance (O&M) service of the power plant.

“The project also includes the rehabilitation of the electrical network of Agadez and the electrification of the neighbouring hamlet of Tibinitene,” the company said in a statement.

Deepak Thakur, CEO – Hybrid & Energy Storage, Sterling and Wilson said, “we are extremely delighted to have secured another prestigious opportunity in Africa after successfully commissioning Nigeria’s first solar storage hybrid power plant, which is also Africa’s largest battery energy storage system. Hybrid energy solutions is a huge opportunity as many power generation and distribution companies in places like Africa are moving into renewables.”

“As one of the leading turnkey EPC solution providers globally, with project management, engineering and delivery expertise of over 11 GW of diversified energy offerings across geographies, along with our consortium partners, we are committed to delivering this project well on-time, fully complying with the stringent quality and safety standards,” he added.

The consortium will also provide project management assistance and institutional support to train engineers and technicians of Nigelec in photovoltaic technologies to enable them to operate large-scale solar power plants in the short term and to ensure smooth functioning of the plant even after two years.