Libya’s Energy Future: Industry and Political risk outlook was launched at a Chatham House seminar in London on 20 July.
Based on African Energy’s unparalleled track record in following Libya’s energy story and careful, originally sourced reporting from Libya and global markets, this updated and enlarged special report analyses the major issues and the financial and political trends influencing development of Libya's energy industries. Read more
A detailed guide to electrification in Africa
A 400-page study published in Paris by Karthala, L’Electricité au Coeur des Défis Africains (available in French only) includes an overview of the continental electricity supply industry and examples of generation, transmission and distribution projects. A chapter on decentralised rural electrification is followed by another on the establishment of decentralised services companies.
The book draws on articles and materials from a number of experts and sources, including African Energy.
Order a copy now, priced €36 / £30 plus postage and packing. Email: nick@africa-energy.com
AfricaHardball is an executive dialogue that brings together policy-makers, industry leaders and analysts to discuss the key political issues affecting the African energy industry in frank and open terms.
The last AfricaHardball roundtable was held on 29 June, prior to the start of EnergyNet Ltd’s annual Africa Energy Forum (AEF), in Basel. Read more
Madagascar’s hydroelectric expansion plans open up prospects for IPPs
Madagascar is opening up to private projects, with several schemes already under way, government and Jirama officials told François Misser.
The Antananarivo government is keen to develop independent power projects and is handing out concessions for hydropower sites on a first come first served basis, according to Ministry of Energy and Mines secretary general Hugues Février Rajaonson. Sites with less than 50MW capacity can be developed as soon as an offtake price has been negotiated with regulator Office de Regulation de l’Electricité and utility Jiro Sy Rano Malagasy (Jirama). Above 50MW, the decision will depend on the results of tenders.
A new 15MW HEP unit built by France’s Hydelec was due on stream in July at Sahanivotry, 30km south of Antsirabe. The E15m ($24m) investment has been funded by the African Development Bank, local bank BFV-Société Générale and Mauritius Commercial Bank. As soon as Sahanivotry is completed, Hydelec plans to finalise studies for the Mahitsy (12MW) and Maroantsetra (1.2MW) hydropower projects, with a total cost of E15m. Hydelec has told Jirama it is ready to develop a site of up to 50MW, with a potential as high as 250MW, Jirama’s assistant director general Dieudonné Raoelijaona told African Energy.
The European Investment Bank is considering an E18m loan to finance the supply and installation of a fourth 33.2MW turbine at Jirama’s Andekaleka power station along with a 138kV substation. And talks are under way for the development of another site with Quebec-based RSW Inc, a firm of consulting engineers specialised in HEP design and rehabilitation.
The government is hoping large mining projects will play an important role in attracting foreign investment in independent power projects. The $3.8bn Ambatovy Minerals SA nickel and cobalt project is only viable if the supply of power is guaranteed. This project is being developed by Canada’s Sherritt International, Japan’s Sumitomo, Korea Resources and SNC Lavalin, to produce up to 60,000 t/yr of nickel and 5,600 t/yr of cobalt. The Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy in February 2007 said it had selected a South Korean consortium led by Daewoo International Corporation to build a 120MW cogeneration plant at the mine site (AE 109/10).
The other big project is the development of the ilmenite deposits of the Fort Dauphin area by Rio Tinto Group’s Qit Madagascar Minerals, which plans to invest up to $105m in the construction of the Ehoala harbour.
Rajaonson believes that opportunities created by mining projects will begin to materialise from 2010, and by then he thinks that the structure of Madagascar’s generation capacity will have changed significantly. At present, the installed capacity is 375MW, 65% of it of thermal origin. By 2010, he says, 70% of the power produced in Madagascar will come from hydropower stations. In other words, if the thermal capacity remains stable, this means that the HEP capacity of the island will increase from 131.2 MW to 812.5 MW.
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