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While many see doing business in Democratic Republic of Congo as problematic, Africa Finance Corporation is pushing ahead on a trio of schemes involving renewable energy, critical minerals and infrastructure, helped by its status as an African multilateral in which the DRC government is a shareholder.

Prospects for the regional electricity supply industry and West African power trading took a huge leap forward when two major networks interconnected at Linsan in Guinea. Much work remains to be done after the on 2 April link-up, but the OMVG-CLSG interconnection points to a more positive direction of travel for a West African Power Pool that is starting to excite market interest.

Moroccan plans to build regasification plants to supply Onee’s existing and planned CCGT power stations have been mooted for more than a decade, but could now finally be moving ahead, with government commitments to build an LNG import unit at Nador, with other schemes to follow.

The issue leads with a focus on the prospects for the regional electricity supply industry and West African power trading, following the interconnection of two major networks at Linsan in Guinea. While much work remains to be done, the OMVG-CLSG interconnection points to a more positive direction of travel for a West African Power Pool that is starting to excite market interest. African Energy's coverage includes a new map of West African power interconnection projects. Power coverage also includes separate features on Liberia – where President Boakai has promised to increase electricity access amid further loadshedding – and Guinea, where low rainfall has led to yet another round of loadshedding and, in turn, widespread protests and deadly violence. The issue also features two articles on Democratic Republic of Congo. Many businesses are wary of DRC, but Africa Finance Corporation sees the government as a willing partner in ground-breaking solar, critical minerals and regional infrastructure schemes. Canada’s Ivanhoe Mines has meanwhile reported progress on securing sufficient electricity supply for its Kamoa-Kakula copper mine via the Inga II rehabilitation, increased on-site generators to address grid instability and imports, from Zambia. Upstream oil and gas coverage leads with a look at the extension of TotalEnergies’ gas partnership with Sonatrach in Algeria. The African Energy View examines the build up to South Africa’s upcoming elections, with opinion polls suggesting the ruling African National Congress could lose its parliamentary majority for the first time.

Published April 2024, this map illustrated West Africa power interconnections across Liberia, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Guinea Bissau, Gambia and Senegal. The map shows the OMVG loop, Cote d'Ivoire-Liberia-Sierra Leone-Guinea (CLSG) line and Guinea-Mali Interconnection Project (PIEGM), with substations marked. Other actual and planned power lines across the region are also shown, ranging from 90kV to 161kV. The locations of 20MW+ power generation facilities that are operating, under construction or planned are shown by type – including liquid fuels, natural gas, coal, hybrid, hybrid and battery, hydroelectricity, solar, solar and battery, wind, biomass/biogas and battery. The map is presented as a PDF file using eps graphics, meaning that there is no loss of resolution as the file is enlarged.  

Low rainfall in Guinea has led to yet another round of loadshedding and, in turn, widespread protests and deadly violence. Interim President Mamady Doumbouya is keen to end loadshedding and stoke the economy before holding delayed elections in 2025, but a small pipeline of projects raises questions about how soon new capacity can be brought online, writes Marc Howard.

Loadshedding in Guinea has fed into widespread protests that are making life difficult for General Mamady Doumbouya, as the interim president looks to boost support for his regime with an economic boost from Simandou and other projects before holding delayed elections in 2025.

Rehabilitation of the 178MW turbine at Inga II, along with plans for up to 210MW from on-site generators to tackle grid instability and increased electricity imports from Zambia are all on track, according to Ivanhoe Mines, as the Canadian operator works to provide sufficient power to Democratic Republic of Congo’s strategic Kamoa-Kakula copper mine.

DPA Southern Africa has broken ground on the Bloemfontein solar PV plant in Free State, which will supply power to Africa Data Centre sites in Cape Town and Johannesburg.

TotalEnergies has signed a memorandum of understanding with Sonatrach on further developing natural gas resources in the Timimoun region, where the French major has existing interests, while an LNG supply contract has been extended by another year.

South Africa’s Department of Mineral Resources and Energy is seeking proposals for 616MW/246MWh of battery energy storage systems at five Eskom substation in Free State province.

Abu Dhabi’s involvement in conflicts in Sudan and Libya is back in focus, after the UAE opened a second field hospital in eastern Chad, following evidence that its existing hospital was used as a cover for supplying weapons to Sudanese civil war leader Hemedti’s RSF militia. It fits into a wider pattern of Emirati involvement in African conflicts, as well as business.

Political uncertainty grips South Africa ahead of national and provincial elections on 29 May, with opinion polls suggesting the ruling African National Congress could lose its parliamentary majority for the first time in 30 years, raising the possibility of a coalition government and the prospect of a surge in ‘pork barrel’ politics.

Sonatrach has signed a rare heads of agreement with a smaller company, Sweden’s Tethys Oil.

South Africa’s Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) has appointed Globeleq’s Red Sands project as the fifth preferred bidder under its battery energy storage independent power producer procurement programme (BESIPPP) first bid window.  The project will be the largest standalone battery energy storage system in Africa and ends the initial phase of the BESIPPP programme.