On Thursday, July 23rd, 2026, the President of the Republic, José Ramos-Horta, and the Prime Minister, Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão, chaired the groundbreaking ceremony for a solar photovoltaic project in the Village of Lifau, Laleia Administrative Post, in the Municipality of Manatuto. The project includes a battery energy storage system and a SCADA system to interconnect with the national electricity transmission grid.
The project will install a 72-megawatt (MW) solar photovoltaic plant, together with a battery energy storage system with a capacity of 36 megawatt-hours (MWh). The goal is to supply electricity to the national grid, diversify Timor-Leste’s energy mix, and reduce the country’s dependence on imported fuels.
President Ramos-Horta congratulated the 9th Constitutional Government, led by Prime Minister Xanana, on the progress made on this project. He emphasised that projects of this scale require time, coordination, and the involvement of international agencies and private investors.
“Electricity is a vital sector for development. We can see rapid progress and continued implementation of the 2011–2030 Strategic Development Plan,” said Ramos-Horta.
Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão described the project as a significant investment in the national electricity system and in the future economic development of Timor-Leste. He emphasised that the Government remains committed to ensuring a reliable electricity supply for households, schools, health centres, public institutions, and businesses throughout the country.
“We need to strengthen the national power grid and prepare for the future. We must diversify our energy sources and reduce our dependence on imported fuels. That is why this solar photovoltaic project in Laleia is so important,” said Xanana Gusmão.
According to the Prime Minister’s estimate, the project will reduce fuel costs by US$25 to US$30 million annually. The Prime Minister emphasised that these funds can be redirected to health care, education, infrastructure, and other national priorities.
In addition to the financial benefits, the project is expected to provide training for EDTL technicians in the installation, operation, and maintenance phases, and to establish training and research opportunities for Timorese students in renewable energy.
The construction project is expected to create jobs during the construction period, which is projected to last 18 to 24 months.
The project follows the Independent Power Producer (IPP) model and will be implemented by Manatuto Renewable Power, a joint venture between ITOCHU of Japan and EDF of France.
The French ambassador to Timor-Leste, Fabien Penone, said the project will expand access to reliable electricity, reduce CO2 emissions, and reduce dependence on imported fuels. He described EDF’s involvement as a strong sign of economic cooperation between France and Timor-Leste.
The Japanese Ambassador to Timor-Leste, Yasushi Yamamoto, said that the Government of Japan supports this project through funding from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), viewing it as an example of public-private cooperation to promote renewable energy and energy security.
Paulo da Silva, Chairman of the Executive Committee of EDTL, E.P., explained that under the IPP model the private sector is responsible for investment, construction, operation, and maintenance. At the same time, EDTL will purchase electricity at 6.5 cents per kWh for the 25-year contract period.
Paulo da Silva added that, in addition to projected fuel savings of up to US$30 million per year, EDTL may also apply to international carbon credit programmes, with support from the Asian Development Bank (ADB). He stated that the project is expected to serve as a training and research centre for EDTL technicians and students.
The project is financed by international private-sector investments of up to US$85.6 million from ITOCHU of Japan and EDF of France.
The launch ceremony was attended by members of the Government, the National Parliament, the diplomatic corps, defence, and security officials, and the Lifau and Laleia community.