SMEG launches construction of 6 MWc solar power plant in Mâcon

SMEG and the City of Mâcon have started construction of a 6 MWc solar power plant on a former landfill site, with commissioning scheduled for early 2026.

Share:

The Société Monégasque de l’Électricité et du Gaz (SMEG) has begun building a photovoltaic power plant in Mâcon on the rehabilitated site of the former Grisière landfill. This project, the result of a call for expressions of interest, will have an installed capacity of 6 megawatts-peak (MWp), of which 1 MWp is allocated to a collective self-consumption scheme.

A structuring project for the region

The official groundbreaking took place on June 10 in the presence of the Mâcon municipality and the project’s technical and financial partners. Construction will continue until the end of 2025, with operational commissioning scheduled for early 2026. The 5.14-hectare site is expected to produce over 1 gigawatt-hour (GWh) annually, equivalent to the yearly energy use of around 300 households, according to the project promoters.

The future plant is based on a model already implemented in other regions of France, aiming to combine local production, shared self-consumption and access to participatory financing. Up to 30% of the energy consumption of local subscribers could be covered by the installation, with stable long-term pricing.

A community-based and collaborative model

The local energy community will be managed by Serenyun, the company in charge of organising the collective self-consumption scheme. Participatory financing will be handled through the Lumo platform, which enables residents and businesses to support the project financially without upfront investment.

The project also includes a professional inclusion component. AILE Sud-Bourgogne, designated by the city, will oversee the implementation of social clauses to support workforce reintegration during construction. This approach structures the project locally while involving various stakeholders in its implementation.

Timeline and access conditions

Stakeholders located within a 2-kilometre radius of the plant can already register via the dedicated website. All profiles are eligible, whether individuals, businesses or public institutions.

The initiative has been designed to operate without any initial financial contribution from subscribers. Electricity supply will begin as soon as the plant is connected to the grid, planned for 2026, enabling early access to locally generated electricity.

EDP Renewables North America and California Water Service have entered into a 20-year agreement to supply solar energy to a strategic Bakersfield site, reducing grid energy costs by about $1.7mn over the contract duration.
Solar growth in the European Union is seeing its first annual contraction in ten years, following reduced subsidies and shifting budget priorities in several member states.
Scatec secures the development of a 846 MW photovoltaic cluster in the Free State province, with an investment of ZAR13bn ($735mn), following the seventh round of South Africa's REIPPPP programme.
Enbridge invests $0.9bn in a 600 MW solar facility in Texas, fully dedicated to powering Meta Platforms, Inc.'s data centres through a long-term power purchase agreement.
ENGIE has announced the acquisition of 22 distributed solar projects in Pennsylvania, further strengthening its renewable energy expansion strategy while supporting the local economy and enhancing the reliability of the distribution grid.
Estuary Power commissions the Escape Solar and Storage project in Nevada, integrating 185 megawatts of solar capacity and securing enhanced financing from institutional investors to supply electricity to several major players in the leisure sector.
New anti-dumping tariffs and Foreign Entity of Concern (FEOC) restrictions are disrupting the US solar supply chain, while ongoing dependence on China exposes the industry to significant risks, according to Wood Mackenzie.
Sri Lanka and the International Solar Alliance (ISA) have signed a strategic partnership to accelerate solar energy deployment in the country, aiming for 70% renewable energy by 2030.
Sunrun announced the pricing of its $431 million securitization, involving leases and power purchase agreements. This marks the company’s 14th public securitization and its third of 2025.
Resalta has completed the acquisition of Statkraft’s Croatian platform, expanding its presence in renewable energy across Eastern Europe, with a portfolio of projects and a full local team.
Gaia Renewables 1 has acquired a 10% stake in two solar power plants in the Northern Cape, following regulatory approval and financial close, strengthening its portfolio of independent assets.
Dutch firm Gutami Holding has signed a 25-year agreement with Burkina Faso and national utility SONABEL for a 150 MW solar project with 50 MW storage, valued at over €100mn ($109mn).
SOFAZ acquires 49% of a 14-plant solar portfolio held by Enfinity Global in Lazio and Emilia-Romagna, reinforcing its long-term stable investment strategy.
Entech spent €1.4mn to acquire a portfolio of photovoltaic projects under development across southern and central France, marking a first move in its external growth strategy following a recent capital increase.
A guarantee operation orchestrated by the World Bank targets the expansion of distributed energy solutions across nearly twenty African markets, involving a project portfolio led by CrossBoundary Energy and a financial collaboration with Standard Bank South Africa.
Facing chronic power outages, South African households are increasingly turning to solar self-generation, jeopardizing Eskom's pricing model and widening energy-access inequalities between affluent neighborhoods and disadvantaged areas.
Sol Systems has secured a $675mn credit facility to accelerate the development of 500 MW of solar and storage projects in Illinois, Ohio and Texas, backed by an international banking consortium.
The rapid rise of solar energy is disrupting Pakistan’s electricity sector, forcing the government to revise its tariff policy and introduce new taxes on solar panel imports.
Sabanci Renewables announces the acquisition of the Texan solar project Pepper from OCI Energy, strengthening its US portfolio to 660 MW and paving the way for an increase to 3 GW by 2030.
The results of recent Polish auctions reveal a predominance of photovoltaic solar, with 178 projects selected and a total capacity of 1.67 GW, while other segments found no takers.