The 472 megawatt-plant, 20 MW of which to be generated through solar energy, is part of the national strategy for the development of environment-friendly renewable energy and the promotion of energy resources for power production.

    The Ain Beni Mathar plant is in phase with the international trend which focuses on renewable energy, especially solar energy, to address the challenge of global warming and the growing demand for energy. This project could generate 3.538 GW/h annually, that is 13% of the 2010 national demand. 

    The plant is made up mainly of two turbines fuelled with natural gas, a steam turbine, two recovery boilers and a solar exchanger.

    Spanning over 160 hectares, this project will save 12,000 tonnes of fuel and slash 33,500 of CO2 emissions yearly. It will also reduce water consumption from a current 5.4 million m3 to 850,000 m3 per year.

    The plant has a system for recovering, treating and stocking liquid waste in a 6 hectare-air tight basin. It also provides for planting 4,500 trees and 20,000 herbaceous plants.

    The project will create 360,000 working days and develop small and medium enterprises. It touches on the reinforcement of Beni Mathar commune’s infrastructures through the building of two bridges over the Charef and the Tabouda rivers.