Start Of Commissioning Of The Sinnamary Biomass Power Plant In French Guiana

Voltalia , an international player in renewable energies, announces the start of commissioning of its 10.5-megawatt biomass power plant in Sinnamary. This new facility complements the existing plants in Kourou (1.7 megawatts) and Cacao (5.1 megawatts), which are already operational in French Guiana

The first boiler ignitions, a key milestone in the commissioning process of the Sinnamary biomass power plant, took place in early April 2025. This initial phase marked the beginning of technical tests. The largest biomass power plant in French Guiana, currently in its final testing phase before full commissioning, will be able to meet up to 8% of the territory’s electricity needs.

Located on the Petit Saut site, the biomass plant has an annual production capacity of over 80 gigawatt-hours. This project is part of a broader initiative to harness local resources and contribute to the diversification and decarbonization of the region’s energy mix.

With the commissioning of the Sinnamary power plant, Voltalia is reaching a new milestone by doubling its local generation capacity. The company will now have a production capacity equivalent to approximately 16% of the territory’s electricity consumption, further strengthening its role as a key player in the energy transition in French Guiana.

Robert Klein, CEO of Voltalia, declared: “The Sinnamary biomass power plant marks a turning point for French Guiana: it demonstrates that it is possible to produce low-carbon, reliable, and competitive energy locally, using resources from the territory. With this commissioning, Voltalia is directly contributing to strengthening French Guiana’s energy autonomy and the resilience of its power grid.”

The Petit-Saut Sawmill and Energy Hub: a structuring project for French Guiana
Led by Voltalia and its subsidiary Triton Timber, the Petit-Saut Sawmill and Energy Hub project aims to make local use of submerged wood from the Petit-Saut lake. With over 200 million euros in investment, the project combines three components to enable the entire resource originally lost:

• The harvesting unit, developed by Triton Guyane, enables the collection and retrieval of submerged wood from the reservoir lake back to the shore
• The sawmill, also developed by Triton Guyane, will produce around 9,000 m³ of construction timber per year, helping meet strong local demand
• The 10.5-megawatt biomass power plant, developed and operated by Voltalia, fueled by wood species that cannot be valorized in sawmills, whose commissioning has begun.

This innovative 25-year project is part of a sustainable circular economy approach, combining economic development with environmental preservation.