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Tullow Oil and its partners have received licence extensions for their South Lokichar blocks 10BB and 13T to the end of 2021, following approval of the work programme and budget for next year by the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum.

Woodside has opted to exercise its right to pre-empt FAR’s planned sale to ONGC Videsh of its stake in the Rufisque, Sangomar and Sangomar Deep (RSSD) joint venture. FAR, which has a 13.67% interest in the Sangomar exploitation area and a 15% interest in the remaining RSSD evaluation area, announced the discounted sale in November after failing to raise funding for its share of the development.

In a major victory for transparency campaigners, the US Congress has passed a groundbreaking measure to ban anonymous shell companies by a veto-proof majority. The Corporate Transparency Act, which was tacked on to the annual National Defense Authorization Act, will oblige corporations and limited liability companies established in the United States to disclose their real owners to the US Treasury Department.

Gridworks hopes its recently awarded concessions in DRC will demonstrate the case for larger-scale isolated grids in Africa. The company says the project offers the size and critical mass that is missing from most mini-grid models, which it hopes will create efficiencies and reduce costs, writes Dan Marks.

Construction is set to begin in January on a 10MW solar PV project to supply Amazon’s operations in South Africa, after the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) approved an amended generation licence. The project is an important milestone for the country as the first licensed plant – plants larger than 1MW must have a generation licence – to use a Wheeling Use of System Agreement with national utility Eskom in recent years.

Differences over who should undertake a new feasibility study for the Gwanda solar project are delaying the signing of a revised contract between the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) and contractors IntraTrek and Chint Electric Company. In July, Cabinet approved a revised implementation plan for the 100MW Gwanda solar PV project, in which the developers agreed to evacuate the first 10MW of the project to the national grid within six months of financial close, and brought in African Transmission Corporation (ATC) as transaction adviser for the project.

Mining companies are struggling to pay the interim power tariff of $0.093/kWh to Zesco, blaming higher taxation and a harsh operating environment. The tariff was introduced in 2018 while a cost of service study was carried out. But some miners are struggling to pay their bills despite a recent surge in world copper prices and want the power price to be set once the study is completed in 2021.

Mini-grid company CrossBoundary Energy Access (CBEA) has published a white paper on its model for developing mini-grids in developing countries and will release term sheets and its template project finance model on 15 February 2021. The unusual move comes as mini-grid developers focused on rural electrification continue to face challenges with profitability and attracting investment.

The 50MW first phase of a coal-fired power plant being built by independent power producer Zimbabwe Zhongxin Electrical Energy (ZZEE) at Deka Bridge Farm in Hwange is due for completion by year-end, a government minister has told African Energy. Energy and power development minister Soda Zhemu said construction of the $50m station started last year.

A French court has dismissed an appeal by two French and four Ugandan NGOs seeking to challenge Total’s handling of the Tilenga development project. The case is the first to be brought under France’s 2017 Corporate Duty of Vigilance law, and the NGOs hope to establish a precedent with wider implications for Total and other international companies.

The UK government has announced that it will no longer provide funding for fossil fuel projects overseas as it prepares to host the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow next year. The UK has been talking up plans for a green economy as the end of the Brexit transition period approaches, and funding from UK Export Finance (UKEF) for oil and gas projects has attracted criticism at a time when Prime Minister Boris Johnson is keen to position the UK as a global leader on climate change.

The United Kingdom’s Renewable Energy Performance Platform on 11 December announced that it had signed an agreement to invest £1m equity in renewable-powered battery rental company Mobile Power.

Globeleq on 10 December announced that Spain’s TSK has been selected to build the 450MW Temane combined cycle gas power plant.

Tanzania Electric Supply Company Limited (Tanesco) is set to launch a tender for an EPC contractor for the 50MW Malagarasi hydropower project in the western region of Kigoma after securing financing from the African Development Bank (AfDB).

Tender for Maria Gléta CCGT The Ministry of Energy has invited bids by 28 December for the next phase of the Maria Gléta thermal power complex. The tender involves the design, supply and construction of a 143MW dual-fuel combined-cycle thermal power plant.