Geothermal firm in middleman dispute

California-based AAE Systems is embroiled in a dispute with Ugandan firm Apex Petroleum over $60m of arrangement fees relating to the $1.2bn 150MW Katwe geothermal project in Kasese, western Uganda. Apex director Ahmed Mutimba claims AAE contracted him as its country representative, charged with identifying projects and partners, and entitled to 5% of project costs as an arrangement fee upon the signing of a power purchase agreement (PPA) (AE 253/8).
Having formed a joint venture with local company Katwe Geothermal earlier this year, AAE signed a PPA with the Uganda Electricity Transmission Company in April 2013.