# Erigavo Solar Project Launch Reported, Tariff Drop Unverified

> Somaliland Sun reported a UKAID-linked renewable energy launch in Erigavo, but the claimed 38% tariff cut appears only in its headline.

- By: Editorial Team, Somali Construction Review (https://somaliconstructionreview.com/about)
- Published: 30 September 2026
- Format: News story (reported from one named public source)
- Publication: Somali Construction Review (https://somaliconstructionreview.com)
- Subject: Infrastructure and Services
- Tags: utilities, construction-risk
- Web version: https://somaliconstructionreview.com/blog/erigavo-solar-launch-tariff-drop-unverified

## Key points

- On 2021-01-30, Somaliland Sun reported the launch of a renewable energy project in Erigavo, with 1MW solar, 640KWH battery storage and 3.2MW diesel capacity.
- The report's headline claims energy costs dropped 38% from $1 to $0.62/kWh, but the body text does not substantiate that tariff reduction.
- The project's status, financing details and current operational state remain unverified.

On 30 January 2021, Somaliland Sun reported that the Minister of Energy and Minerals, Hon. Jama Haji-Mohamud Egal, officially launched a renewable energy project in Erigavo, the capital of Sanaag region. The report describes a system intended to deliver 1MW of solar power, 640KWH of battery storage and 3.2MW of diesel generation combined. It attributes the project to a joint venture between the Government of Somaliland and a grant from the British Government's FCDO, through the Ministry of Energy and Minerals and the Sanaag Electricity Company (SEPCO).

At the launch, officials said they were seeking cheaper, affordable and reliable electricity, according to the same report. The Minister said the project would reduce the cost of electricity for consumers and reflected the ministry's commitment to renewable energy. Stuart Brown, Head of the British Office in Hargeisa, commented on the project via Twitter, but Somaliland Sun did not reproduce his text.

However, the headline's claim that energy costs dropped 38% from $1 to $0.62/kWh after the launch is not substantiated anywhere in the article body. No tariff data, baseline date or measurement method is provided. The report does not state whether the system has been built, commissioned or is operational, nor does it give a grant value, contract value or total project cost. A photo caption in the report mentions a $3m figure and a 1MWp specification, but it is unclear what the $3m represents, and the article does not reconcile that figure with the 1MW stated in the text.

Somaliland Sun's report does not establish what has happened to the project, tariffs or Erigavo supply since 30 January 2021. No independent confirmation from FCDO, the Ministry or SEPCO is provided.

## Questions

### What were the tariff rates before and after the Erigavo project?

The Somaliland Sun headline claimed a drop from $1 to $0.62/kWh, a 38% reduction, but the article body does not provide tariff data or substantiate that change.

### What is the installed capacity of the Erigavo renewable energy project?

The launch report states the project includes 1MW of solar, 640KWH of battery storage and 3.2MW of diesel generator capacity, though a caption line mentions 1MWp.

### Who manages the Erigavo electricity system now?

The source does not state who manages the system post-launch or whether it is operational. It only notes the involvement of SEPCO and the Ministry of Energy and Minerals.

## Sources

- [Somaliland: Erigavo Energy Costs Drop 38% from $1 to $0.62/kWh after Launch of UKAID Project](https://somalilandsun.com/somaliland-erigavo-energy-costs-drop-38-from-1-to-0-62-kwh-after-launch-of-ukaid-project/) — Somaliland Sun, 2021-01-30