BOULOUPARIS, New Caledonia — Christopher Gygès, member of the New Caledonia government responsible for energy, led the launch of several renewable energy projects in Boulouparis on Friday, 18 July at 10 a.m. at the TotalEnergies Renouvelables Pacific site.
Joined by Pascal Vittori, mayor of Boulouparis, as well as representatives from TotalEnergies Renouvelables France, Akuo Energy and Enercal, Gygès unveiled the Boulouparis Grande Batterie and the 60 MWp Boulouparis 3 photovoltaic farm — two key components of New Caledonia’s accelerating clean energy transition.
In 2016, New Caledonia adopted its Energy Transition Plan (STENC). A revised version, known as STENC 2.0, was approved by Congress in August 2023. It focuses on decarbonising the metallurgy industry, promoting carbon-free mobility and improving energy efficiency.
Three major private sector-led projects in Boulouparis are central to achieving STENC 2.0’s objectives:
- Completion of Phase 3 of the Boulouparis photovoltaic farm
- The upcoming construction of the Boulouparis Large Battery
- Infrastructure upgrades by Enercal to support these developments
“These private initiatives are among the largest national and European projects,” said Gygès. “They demonstrate a genuine desire to green New Caledonia's energy mix and above all to provide affordable, carbon-free energy both to Caledonians and to the metallurgy sector.”
The projects are also expected to boost energy independence, create jobs and stimulate the construction sector.
“With this 15 billion [CFP franc] in private investment (approx. US$135 million) and the 200 jobs subsequently created, we have the opportunity to build a sector with the added bonus of training young Caledonians who will be able to sustain this sector of activity,” Gygès added.
TotalEnergies and Enercal sign agreement for Boulouparis 3
Following the commissioning of Units 1 (12 MWp) and 2 (16 MWp + 10 MWh storage) in 2017 and 2019, TotalEnergies and Enercal have signed the power purchase agreement (PPA) for Unit 3, a crucial step towards launching this next phase. Once completed, the three units will form the largest photovoltaic site in New Caledonia and one of the five largest in France, with a combined capacity of nearly 90 MWp.
Europe's largest battery project in final phase
Akuo Energy’s Boulouparis Large Battery project is now in its final financing stage. Designed as one of the largest electricity storage systems in Europe, the battery will offer 150 MWh of capacity and 50 MW of output over three hours.
The battery will provide key technical capabilities tailored to local needs:
- Load transfer: storing solar energy during the day and releasing it in the evening to avoid peak loads
- Grid support: regulating frequency and voltage
- Black start: enabling grid restart after outages
- Thermal substitution: quickly replacing fossil fuel plants with renewables
- Accelerated integration of renewables: by adding more controllable capacity
The project is also grounded in community participation, with local groups GDPL Wiwa and Wije holding shares. Risk management measures include a full hazard study and close cooperation with the Civil Security Risk Management Department (DSCGR) and the Boulouparis fire brigade.
Enercal upgrades infrastructure for integration
To connect the solar plant and battery to the Grande Terre transmission network, Enercal is expanding the capacity of its Boulouparis source substation — the key link between high-voltage transmission and medium-voltage distribution networks.
The substation’s capacity has been increased from 45 MVA to 100 MVA, enabling it to handle the full output of local renewable projects. This expansion ensures:
- Enhanced power transformation capabilities
- Maintenance flexibility without disrupting supply
Additional improvements to the existing station include:
- Secured emergency power supply
- Reliable electrical protection and control systems
- Integration of renewable power plant management into Enercal’s telecommunications
- A local emergency control system for restarting the battery and power plants after incidents
Parallel work on the grid will allow both the Boulouparis 3 solar plant and the storage battery to connect seamlessly to the substation, including:
- New connection points
- A 33 kV underground line between Boulouparis 3 and the substation to export solar power
- A 33 kV underground line between the battery and the substation for charging and discharging operations
Thanks to Enercal’s network upgrades, both solar generation and battery storage will be centrally managed from Enercal’s control centre in Nouméa. This centralised oversight will optimise solar production and ensure it is available when Caledonian households need it most.
