China Eximbank provides RMB 355 million loan for 25MW Donsin Photovoltaic Solar Power Plant Construction Project

Project narrative

On September 29, 2023, China Eximbank and the Government of Burkina Faso signed an RMB 355,090,000 loan agreement for the 25MW Donsin Photovoltaic Solar Power Plant Construction Project. The borrowing terms of the loan include a 20-year maturity, a 5-year grace period, a 1% interest rate, and a commitment fee of 0.25% per year on the undisbursed balance. The loan agreement was ratified by the 71 deputies that sit within Burkina Faso’s transitional legislative assembly in May 2024. The purpose of the project is to construct a 25MW photovoltaic solar power plant at Donsin airport in the Loumbila district of Oubritenga province. Another feature of the project is the inclusion of a 5MW battery energy storage system (BESS) to support energy reliability in the project area. The project was originally expected to commence in January 2024 and take 15 months to complete (scheduled completion date: March 2025). However, in April 2024, the government of Burkina Faso reported that the project was 3 months behind schedule. The developer, TBEA, agreed to begin work using capital stock as soon as the project was approved in order to make up for the delay. As of April 2025, the project was listed as being 50% complete, but further evidence of implementation has not been found.