Issue 518 PDF: Kenya looks to more renewable plants and imports to meet rising power needs

The issue leads with Kenya, which is looking to new power developments and imports from the Eastern Africa Power Pool to increase on-grid capacity, with KenGen advancing a new fleet of renewable projects. Meanwhile, a vital new interconnector with Tanzania has been energised and there are signs the IPP moratorium could soon end. Our coverage includes a revised Kenya power map.

African Energy also examines a further US pledge of $553m for the Lobito Corridor and adjacent projects, which takes the Biden administration’s commitments to these projects to over $4bn. This points to a significant revitalisation of US ties with African countries – which may be too little, too late, although the Lobito project is unlikely to be halted by a more mercantilist Trump administration.

Power sector coverage includes a focus on Zimbabwe, where Chinese IPPs and investors are backing 2.5GW of new coal and solar projects that Zimbabwean authorities claim will end load shedding by 2025 – and end the need for power imports by 2026. However, Harare has a history of announcing megaprojects that do not materialise and, even if these schemes do go ahead, questions remain over whether the grid will be able to handle the additional power – and how the  capital for necessary transmission upgrades would be raised.

Oil and gas coverage leads with an examination of a short-lived proposal for an all-share merger between Kosmos Energy and Tullow Oil, which was curtailed on 17 December. The tie-up would have created a West Africa-focused upstream player of significance, with sizeable Ghanaian production. However, both independents said the “preliminary discussions” had ended only five days after being first revealed.

Strategy and risk coverage leads with Senegal, where former energy minister Samuel Sarr was recently detained by Dakar gendarmerie, following allegations by shareholders of embezzlement at his West African Energy power project. The shock development raises further questions about energy deals made during the 2012-24 Macky Sall administration.

The African Energy View takes a look back at the year, in the process finding some positive signs in African politics, after a year of wasted opportunities and popular backlashes.