Comoros has decided to diversify and secure the country’s energy system. To this end, the Geothermal Development Program has been developed, aiming to harness a potential capacity of 45 MW over an area of 4.1 km², identified during the geoscientific studies conducted in 2015 by the Geological Bureau of Comoros. This project is part of our national strategy for the transition to sustainable energy, aiming to meet the growing energy needs of our country with endogenous, clean, and renewable electricity production sources.
Technical Advances
Following the surface studies of 2015, several technical advancements have been made, including:
- Environmental and Social Impact Study: Conducted in 2019 for the access road to the drilling site and the drilling platforms ;
- Update of the Environmental and Social Impact Study: Completed in 2024 ;
- Business Plan Update: it has been proposed to setup 15 MW pilot plant
- Feasibility study of the access road : Conducted for the access road to the drilling site and the drilling platforms, including material storage areas ;
- Electricity Energy Code: Adopted in 2023 to include renewable energies, including geothermal energy;
- Biodiversity Management Plan: Established in 2024 ;
- Livelihood Restoration Plan: Developed to support affected communities ;
- Stakeholder Participation Plan: Ensured local stakeholder engagement ;
- Geophysical Campaign: Conducted in the identified area for exploratory drilling to reconfirm previous results.
Last August, this geophysical campaign was carried out by the Geological Bureau of Comoros, with the assistance of international consulting firms recruited by UNDP. The results of this study confirmed geothermal potential in the planned project area.
Fund Mobilization
Currently, the project is in the phase of confirming funding for the exploratory drilling to validate the initial study results. This step is crucial for the installation of the first 15 MW power plant, with a planned expansion to 45 MW. The cost of this exploratory drilling phase is estimated at 44 million USD, which includes the following activities:
- Construction of an access road ;
- Drilling of five water wells ;
- Establishment of water transport and storage infrastructure ;
- Development of storage areas at the drilling site ; and
- Execution of three exploratory drillings ;
To date, 39 million USD has been mobilized through the efforts of the government and its financial partners, distributed as follows:
- 26.6 million USD from the African Development Bank (AfDB)
- 10.8 million USD from the African Union Commission GRMF facility
- 2 million USD from the United Nations Development Programme and the Global Environment Facility (UNDP-GEF),
The Comorian government has committed to completing the necessary funding up to 5 million USD.
Next Steps
Subject to the approval of funds by the AfDB, drilling works are expected to begin in the first quarter of 2025, with a deadline set for December 2028. The first geothermal power plant of 15 MW is anticipated to be operational in 2029, provided that the drilling tests yield positive results.