Sephu plant will serve as an addition to the 180 kW grid-connected ground-mounted solar photovoltaic power station in Rubesa (near ), which became operational in October 2021. The Sephu plant is currently under construction over an area of 65 acres in Yongtru village, situated in the . Upon its completion, the overall installed capacity of the facility will reach 22.38 megawatts and is expected to be complete by March 2025. It was initially planned.
[pdf] The commissioning and inauguration of the 180kW grid-tied ground mounted solar photo-voltaic power plant marks the start of Bhutan’s investment in grid-tied solar energy as a viable alternative energy source in the face of soaring domestic demand and climate change.
The Solar Plant in Rubesa is one such initiative that takes Bhutan a step closer to achieving energy security through a diversified and sustainable energy supply mix. The project particularly demonstrates the viability of solar power plants on a utility-scale.
One imminent project is the construction of Bhutan’s first mega solar power plant, a 17MW plant in Sephu, Wangdue. Today, all of Bhutan’s electricity generation is from renewables such as hydropower, wind, and solar. However, 78 percent of the country’s energy consumption is supplied by fossil fuels, largely for transportation purposes.
He added that those involved would greatly benefit and take part in Bhutan’s upcoming solar projects. One imminent project is the construction of Bhutan’s first mega solar power plant, a 17MW plant in Sephu, Wangdue. Today, all of Bhutan’s electricity generation is from renewables such as hydropower, wind, and solar.
With 464 solar panels, the 180kW plant will produce 263,000 units of energy a year, which is adequate to meet the electricity supply demands for around 90 households. Director of the Department of Renewable Energy (DRE), Phuntsho Namgyal, said that Bhutan was endowed with 12,000 megawatts (MW) of solar power potential.
He said that the current pilot project of the 180kW solar plant brings Bhutan’s utility scale solar power generation dream closer. The pilot project engaged around 10 engineers and technicians from the DRE and Bhutan Power Corporation (BPC), who carried out the design, construction, installation, and grid integration work.