Solar power production in Antananarivo is declining, directly impacted by heavy cloud cover. At the Ambohidrano Ilafy plant, operations were halted yesterday morning due to weather conditions rather than technical failure. Technicians noted that the facility’s batteries, which have a limited autonomy of 2 to 3 hours, are failing to charge because the local grid is also down.
According to Jirama, the 2 MW facility recorded zero production yesterday. Across the capital, other sites are also struggling: the 34 MW Ambatolampy plant produced only 13 MW, the Mangatany plant peaked at 4.5 MW, and the Ampangabe facility operated at only a quarter of its capacity. The Ambatomirahavavy plant operated at half capacity, delivering 650 kW.
Experts explain that while solar energy is a viable solution, it cannot serve as a sole power source. The current infrastructure faces limitations when sunlight is insufficient to charge storage batteries. Technicians recommend a hybrid system combining photovoltaic energy with hydroelectric and thermal power plants to ensure a stable supply, though Jirama plans to continue increasing the share of solar energy in the Antananarivo Interconnected Network (RIA).
Captured & Published at: 2026-09-09 06:08:55 (Madagascar Local Time EAT)
Original Source: https://www.lexpress.mg/2026/09/energie-les-centrales-solaires.html
