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In brief
- Somaliland Standard reported that a USD 24 million energy expansion was launched in Berbera, with a 12 MWp solar system and a 70 MWh battery facility.
- The report says the project is financed by UAE-based Global South Utilities and follows an earlier 5 MW solar plant in the city.
- No contract, delivery schedule or grid-connection detail was published with the launch report.
Contents
Somaliland Standard reported on 26 May 2026 that the Minister of Energy and Minerals, Eng. Axmed Jaamac Barre, launched a USD 24 million renewable energy expansion project in Berbera. The report states that the project comprises a 12 MWp solar power generation system and a 70 MWh battery energy storage facility for Berbera and the wider Saaxil region.
What the source records
According to Somaliland Standard, the launch took place on a Monday and was attended by the Minister of Livestock and Rural Development, Omar Shu'aib Mohamed, Berbera Mayor Abdishakur Mohamed Hassan, senior officials and community leaders. The source attributes finance to UAE-based Global South Utilities and links the project to a previous 5 MW solar plant by the same financier under the "Green Berbera" initiative, reported as serving over 28,000 homes.
What it means on site
For anyone planning electrical work in Berbera, the figures that matter here are the stated capacities: 12 MWp of solar and 70 MWh of storage, as announced by Somaliland Standard. Storage at that scale can, in general practice, shift daytime solar output into evening hours, but whether it does so in Berbera depends on the inverter and control design and on the grid connection point. Ask the contractor or utility which substation or feeder the batteries will tie into before assuming any change to supply at your site.
What the source does not establish
The source reports an announced launch, not a signed contract or a construction schedule. It gives no commissioning date, no site, no equipment supplier, no interconnection study and no tariff or purchase agreement. The USD 24 million figure and the capacities are as stated at the ceremony. A signed engineering, procurement and construction agreement, a utility interconnection approval, or a construction progress notice would confirm whether work has moved past the launch stage. The report does not assign responsibility for any future delay.
What to do next
If your project depends on Berbera's supply, ask the Berbera municipal engineer's office and the utility which connection point is proposed for the battery facility, and request the current single-line diagram for that feeder. Ask again in writing once a contract is announced.
Frequently asked questions
Has the Berbera solar and battery project started construction?
The report describes a launch and groundbreaking ceremony. It gives no construction start date or contract award, so the current state of the works cannot be confirmed from this source.
Who is financing the Berbera energy expansion?
Somaliland Standard attributes the finance to UAE-based Global South Utilities, which also backed the earlier 5 MW Green Berbera solar plant named in the same report.
Sources
Local reporting: this article is written for building work in Berbera and Somaliland. Ground conditions, prices and rules differ between places; confirm the details for your own site.