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The pioneering Ghoubet wind IPP, which is nearing completion, will bolster Djibouti’s grid and supply electricity to an associated desalination project, in a pilot project that may point towards a potentially huge Power-to-X offtake demand.

The pioneering 26.5MW Cabeólica wind plant – sub-Saharan Africa’s first commercial utility-scale wind project – will be expanded by 13MW following a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed with the government. 10MW/10MWh of battery storage will also be added.

Electricity projects supplying commercial and industrial customers had a total capacity of 5.9GW as of Q1 2023, analysis of the latest information on the African Energy Live Data platform shows – and that is almost certainly a substantial under-estimate. With companies in many countries, led by South Africa and Nigeria, looking to overcome weaknesses in their national grid supply, projects at various stages of planning are expected to add at least a further 1.5GW by 2025 – and probably more, as investors seek comfort in C&I supply.

Geregu Power has to date paid NGN8.8bn ($10.8m) to Italian company Ansaldo Energia for repairs to gas turbines at the Geregu gas-fired power plant in Ajaokuta, Kogi state.

Local developer Tatanga Energy and Spain’s Enerfin are co-developing a 100MW wind plant in the Guruve-Mazowe region of Mashonaland Central province. If commissioned, it would be Zimbabwe’s first large-scale wind farm.

French uranium miner Orano’s Orano Mining Namibia (OMN) subsidiary said construction work has started at the first phase of the Sorexa solar PV project that will supply its Erongo Desalination Plant (EDP), sited 35km north of Swakopmund. Sorexa is planned to be scaled up, with future phases supplying other commercial and industrial offtakers in Namibia.    

Harmony Gold Mining Company has commissioned three solar PV plants in Lejweleputswa, Free State province. The South African plants are the first part of a wider renewable energy programme and are expected to reduce the mining group’s carbon dioxide emissions by about 65,000t in the first year of operation.

A target construction date has been set for the Ilute solar PV plant following the signing of an implementation agreement between the government and off-taker Africa GreenCo Group. Nairobi-headquartered independent power producer (IPP) Serengeti Energy and Zambian partner Western Solar are jointly developing the project.  On completion, it will be Zambia’s first plant to sell power to a private intermediary offtaker.

The Red Sea Power (RSP) Ghoubet wind plant has been commissioned. The $122m project is Djibouti’s first utility-scale independent power producer (IPP) and its first on-grid renewable energy plant. African Energy takes a look at the potential impact of the plant, which represents the first steps towards achieving the government’s energy transition goals.

The Central Electricity Board (CEB) has issued a request for tenders to design, supply, install and commission ten substations. The state utility also wants a feasibility study for a floating solar unit.

Solarcentury Africa (SCA) has been admitted to the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP) as a market participant, one of the first private companies to be granted access to the regional trading network. Chief executive Jason de Carteret told African Energy it was an important milestone for the firm’s regional trading strategy.

The state-owned Powerchina group’s Sinohydro Corporation has been awarded the contract to build the Muvumba multipurpose dam and associated hydroelectric power (HEP) plant in Rwanda's Nyagatare district.

Paris-headquartered independent power producer (IPP) Albioma has completed the conversion of its Bois Rouge plant to run solely on biomass.

The European Union is providing funds to rehabilitate the government-owned and operated Nalubaale and Kiira hydroelectric power (HEP) plants, which form a two-dam complex on the River Nile at Jinja.

Ireland’s Mainstream Renewable Power (Mainstream) has announced that it has achieved financial close on its 97.5MW Free State solar PV project in South Africa. Power generated from the plant will supply Sasol and Air Liquide’s operations in Secunda, in Mpumalanga province.