Semonkong Power Plant

The Semonkong mini grid is operated by the state-owned Lesotho Electricity Company, and was originally constructed in 1989 with assistance from Norwegian development funds. The mini-grid is powered by a hydropower installation on the Maletsunyane river, with a capacity of 280kW. The mini-grid has encountered substantial technical hurdles, including issues like siltation leading to turbine units failures, demanding regular maintenance. Additionally, various plant-related faults have been a recurring problem throughout the years. In response to these problems, diesel generator backup units were introduced to provide power to the mini-grid during periods when the hydroelectric facility is offline or to augment the supply when the hydroelectric source is inadequate.