The inaugural development under the nation’s Special Economic Zone legislation, a comprehensive floating solar project known as ‘Solar City’, is anticipated to reach completion within two years, Thoriq Ibrahim, the Minister of Tourism and Environment, announced at a press conference at the President’s Office. Situated east of Kuda Bandos within the greater Malé region, the initiative is advancing through a phased implementation strategy to address an electrical load that currently stands at 120 megawatts.
"This is a utility-scale system designed to provide critical energy security, particularly as current domestic electricity generation relies on substantial subsidies. With the electrical load in Malé presently at approximately 120 megawatts and continuously rising, an infrastructure project of this nature will significantly bolster our energy resilience," Minister Thoriq said.
The undertaking encompasses an integrated power network featuring advanced transformers, dedicated battery storage, and a 4.5-kilometre submarine cable connecting to Hulhumalé. Financed entirely through foreign investment, the project operates under a commercial framework where the State Electric Company Limited will purchase the power; officials are currently finalising the Power Purchasing Agreement.
"This initiative is currently underway, and given its substantial scale, we anticipate its completion within the next two years without complications. Executing a massive project that includes laying submarine electrical cables is a pioneering effort in the Maldives; however, barring any technical difficulties along the way, we remain confident in our two-year timeline," the minister noted. The administration is concurrently expanding solar infrastructure across other islands to circumvent spatial constraints and meet a 33 percent renewable mandate by 2028.