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The new specification for a USTDA-funded feasibility study indicates a large amount of storage capacity could be added to JCM Power’s 50MW Mzuzu wind project.

Uranium industry figures say African producers should benefit from the growing interest around the world in developing more nuclear power, after a long slump following the 2011 Fukushima disaster in Japan. Established producers such as Namibia – which could become the world’s second-largest producer in the next decade – Niger and Malawi are eyeing greater output, while others such as Mauritania are preparing to enter the market, writes Marc Howard.

The award for the prospective wind and battery energy storage plant in Mzuzu could see Malawi finally start to make use of its excellent wind resource. 

Utility EDM is in advanced discussions with floating power plant provider Karpower for a new “up to 500MW” powership and floating regasification unit that would supply both domestic and regional Southern African Power Pool offtakers. The prospective development fits into EDM’s LNG-to-power plans, but questions remain over when feedstock from Mozambique’s onshore LNG megaprojects would be available, writes Marc Howard

Norway’s Scatec is selling a majority stake of its hydroelectric power joint venture with Norfund and British International Investment, which is involved in projects in Uganda, Malawi, and a trilateral Great Lakes development.

A mini-boom in uranium mining is underway in Africa, with investors raising debt and equity finance to advance greenfield projects and mothballed mines being brought back online. The energy transition and geopolitical imperatives have created a more favourable environment for the nuclear power sector, but political risks are especially acute when it comes to uranium, as demonstrated by recent licence withdrawals in Niger, writes Marc Howard.

Another series of delays have postponed the commissioning of the Mozambique-Malawi Regional Interconnector Project (Moma), the World Bank Group (WBG) has confirmed. The 218km, 400kV line will connect Malawi’s isolated grid to the Southern African Power Pool (Sapp) and add a badly-needed source of electrons to its grid – with a 50MW allocation expected from state-owned independent power producer (IPP) Hidroeléctrica de Cahora Bassa.

Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi has invited bids from contractors to develop a 20MW battery energy storage system (Bess) at Lilongwe’s Kanengo substation. The Bess project is aimed at stabilising the grid by integrating more variable renewable energy (RE) sources.

Ener-G-Africa has officially launched a biomass stove and cookware factory in Paarl, near Cape Town, giving impetus to efforts to promote green cooking in Africa.

Swedfund International (Swedfund) and the European Union (EU) have offered finance to carry out environmental and technical feasibility studies for the Malawi-Zambia interconnector, a 330/400kV cross-border transmission line that spans about 184km between Zambia and Malawi.

CFM’s appointment to manage the Southern African Power Pool ’s $1.3bn Regional Transmission Infrastructure Financing Facility could free up a decades-long blockage in the development of cross-border transmission infrastructure. How quickly this happens depends on the success of fundraising efforts in the coming months, and the willingness of utilities and finance ministries to make the RTIFF scheme work.

Lotus Resources’ fundraising will help the Australian miner to restart the Kayelekera mine in Malawi, where negotiations for a power purchase agreement and grid connection with Escom continue.

Malawian generator Egenco is seeking a contractor to install 4.5MW of additional turbine capacity and carry out all associated works at run-of-river plant on the Shire River.

Australian junior Globe says it is advancing its project to site a niobium refinery in the Malawian capital and has outlined an ambitious plan to power mining and refining operations with renewable energy.

Commercial operations for the $127m Mozambique-Malawi (Moma) transmission interconnection project has been delayed, a source with knowledge of the project told African Energy. The delay to the Moma link into the Southern Africa Power Pool comes after a previous hold-up from demining complications, while other milestones remain to be met for the long-awaited regional interconnection scheme.