Jindal Energy’s Mmamabula project steams ahead of schedule
laone choeunyane | Wednesday February 18, 2026 09:49
Launched in 2021 as a public-private partnership with the Botswana Power Corporation (BPC), the P28 billion project is designed to strengthen national energy security whilst keeping electricity tariffs amongst the lowest in the SADC region. As an Independent Power Producer (IPP), Jindal has assumed the financial and project risks, working in collaboration with the government to address Botswana’s growing electricity demand.
In a recent interview, Country Director and Project Head Neeraj Saxena expressed unwavering confidence that the project will be delivered ahead of its official 2029 timeline.
“I believe, and I have 100% belief that we will be the first ever project in Botswana which has come before time. Our official timeline is 2029, but we'll be up and running and giving the power to BPC before then,” Saxena said.
According to Saxena, commissioning of the first unit will begin before the end of this year, with power flowing well ahead of schedule.
“We will start the commissioning of unit one by the end of this year. By 2027, our two units will be commissioned and will be giving the power to BPC. By 2028, all balanced two units would be commissioned and give power,” he said.
The plant is configured as four 175MW gross units. After accounting for 25MW auxiliary consumption per unit, each will deliver a net output of 150MW, bringing total generation capacity to 600MW by 2028.
“One unit will generate 175 megawatts... So the net output from one unit would be 150 megawatts. So total output at the end of 28 would be 600 megawatts coming out of Jindal Mmamabula Energy,” Saxena explained.
The fully integrated development includes not only the power station but also the coal mine, water infrastructure, roads, housing and worker camps. Financing has been secured through Indian institutions, with phases one and two already financially closed.
Whilst global energy markets continue to evolve, Saxena maintains that coal remains a strategic resource when paired with cleaner technologies.
“Germany has started the coal mines and their thermal power projects. Poland, Canada has started it again, and even the UK has started it in their coal mines,” Saxena said.
He added, “We always advocate for cleaner technology. We are one of the leading companies globally using coal to generate syngas, and through syngas, making the steel greener. I think right now the time is not to get away from the coal but to use technology and technological power to use coal in a more cleaner way.”
Drawing on more than 7,000MW of global operational capacity and four to five decades of experience, Jindal said its historical knowledge base is key to delivering on time.
“This is not our first plant, we have huge experience... that historical knowledge base is, I think, making us more suitable to complete these projects before time,” Saxena added.
The project is also creating significant employment. “We emphasised that we are going to create 5,000 jobs. As of now, we have created more than 2,640 jobs. And I can tell you with my full confidence that we are going to touch this 5,000 figure... maybe in next another two years or so we might surpass this figure by I don't know, maybe two times like this. And I'm not calculating any indirect job,” the project head said.
From its 2021 launch to a projected 600MW output by 2028, Jindal’s Mmamabula Energy Project is shaping up to be one of Botswana’s most ambitious infrastructure undertakings, one that the company insists will be completed ahead of time.