Mourad Adjal, the Minister of Energy and Renewable Energies, inaugurated the El Foulia photovoltaic plant on Monday, 26 October 2026. The facility is located in the commune of Guemar within the El Oued wilaya. This project represents a new addition to the solar capacity of Algeria. Officials completed the site to contribute to the national power grid. The inauguration ceremony, attended by Mourad Adjal, marked the official commissioning of the site in the El Oued wilaya, a region identified for its potential in renewable energy development.
Construction and Operational Timeline
An unnamed Chinese partner oversaw the construction of the El Foulia plant. This firm managed the installation of the infrastructure as part of the project development led by the Algerian authorities. The technical specifications of the El Foulia plant were executed by this unnamed Chinese partner to ensure the facility meets the operational standards required for integration into the national electricity network.
Engineers connected the El Foulia facility to the national power grid during the summer of 2026. This operational milestone occurred to meet electricity consumption peaks experienced throughout the country during the warmer months. The integration of the solar site ensures that the grid maintains stability during periods of high demand. By bringing the El Foulia plant online during the summer of 2026, the authorities aimed to mitigate the strain placed on the national power grid when electricity consumption peaks.
Government Oversight and Strategy
Sonelgaz-Énergies Renouvelables manages the national solar programme as the specific subsidiary tasked with overseeing project development. This entity operates under the broader framework of the state-owned group Sonelgaz to execute the transition toward renewable energy production. Sonelgaz-Énergies Renouvelables coordinates the technical and administrative requirements necessary for such solar infrastructure projects.
Mourad Adjal previously led Sonelgaz as its chief executive from December 2021. He held this position until 14 September 2025, when he left the state-owned group to join the government as the Minister of Energy and Renewable Energies. His tenure at the helm of Sonelgaz provided him with direct oversight of the state-owned group’s operations prior to his transition into his current ministerial role.
Gas supplies almost all of Algeria's electricity generation. Data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) and the International Energy Agency (IEA) confirm this reliance on gas for the country's power output. The current strategy focused on the development of sites like the El Foulia plant is intended to diversify the energy mix. The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) and the International Energy Agency (IEA) have documented the current reliance on gas-fired power plants, noting the significance of the shift being implemented by the state-owned group Sonelgaz and its subsidiary, Sonelgaz-Énergies Renouvelables. The project in the commune of Guemar serves as a practical application of the government’s broader renewable energy objectives.
