The paper illustrates a project carried out -between 2012 and 2013 -during which the first eni solar/fossil hybrid power plant -without any grid connection and energy storage systems -has been designed, built, started up and successfully operated -in Egyptian Western Desert -over more than 8000 hours. The purpose of the project was to enhance the efficiency of oil production operation by integrating solar with diesel fuelled power production.A patented Power Management Module (PMS) optimizes power flows among the components of the plant, namely Photovoltaic (PV) panels, Diesel Generator (DG) and sucker rods electric engines. The plant has demonstrated reliability in hostile conditions and capability to save diesel fuel and reduce CO 2 emissions up to 12 %. Further optimizations have also been identified, in order to enhance the performance of the whole system.