Egypt-based ASCOM Carbonate and Chemicals Manufacturing (ACCM) broke ground for a 7 MWh (megawatt-hour) solar power plant at its production facility located in Minya governorate, the project's contractor TAQA Arabia said.

TAQA Arabia said in a press statement that the photovoltaic (PV) solar power plant would be developed over an area of 25 acres, adding that it would meet 16 percent of ACCM’s annual power consumption, and provide green energy for producing calcium carbonate.

The contract and project values weren't disclosed.

ACCM, a subsidiary of ASEC Mining Company and part of Egyptian industrial conglomerate Qalaa Holding, is the biggest manufacturer and exporter of calcium carbonate in Egypt with a total annual production capacity of 500,000 tonnes. The company is increasing production lines of calcium carbonate to double its production capacity in the coming period, according to the press statement.

(Writing by Eman Hamed; Editing by Anoop Menon)

(anoop.menon@lseg.com)