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Mainstream Renewable Power and Actis have expanded on their existing co-operation to launch a pan-African renewable energy generation platform, Lekela Power, with the aim of providing 700-900MW of wind and solar power across Africa by 2018. Mainstream and Actis have already formed successful partnerships in South Africa and Chile. Lekela Power will operate in a similar fashion, with Mainstream owing 40% of the platform and taking responsibility for project management, including site identification, project development, construction management, and operation and maintenance of plants. Lekela Power will be funded over three years through a combination of equity and debt.

Eskom has turned to the government to act as the guarantor for existing and future debt. Eskom is seeking to raise around R150bn ($18.5bn) through bank borrowing and bond sales, most of which will be spent on new coal-fired power stations, although Eskom’s capital spending programme also includes a second nuclear power plant and new combined cycle gas-fired units.

The Ministry of Energy and Water Resources invites expressions of interest by 12 December from consultants to assist with the electrification of a number of provincial capitals and other communities through the installation of solar photovoltaic systems.

The Groupement Isarene joint operating group of Sonatrach, Petroceltic and Enel has given Petrofac an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract worth around $1bn for the Ain Tsila development project. The Ain Tsila development had run into delays following the takeover of Petroceltic by Worldview Capital Management in 2016.

Wood Group Kenny Australia has won a contract to provide engineering and project management services to Sunbird Energy Ltd for the Ibhubesi gas project. The initial phase of work involves the concept and definition phases, with the aim of moving the project into front-end engineering design (FEED) in Q1 2014. The project is likely to include a subsea gathering system, an offshore processing facility, a 400km subsea pipeline and an onshore plant.

DR CONGO: Kisangani grid tender; GABON: World Bank seeks power sector review; GHANA: Renewables tariff consultancy; MOZAMBIQUE: EIB funding for energy development; SENEGAL: Juwi installs PV plants; SENEGAL: Senelec seeks equipment, consultants; SOUTH AFRICA: World Bank support for IPP programme; SOUTH AFRICA: GE to supply Transnet

A company headed by former UK Conservative Party chief Michael Howard has won substantial rights to Somali exploration acreage in exchange for funding seismic acquisition. With delays to a promised new oil law, and no sign of a planned licensing round, conspiracy theories abound, but Soma argues that the deal is exactly what the country needs. “The government aims to accelerate the pace of exploration and development activity and open up the country’s hydrocarbons industry,” said a company spokesman. “Soma’s work will demonstrate to the IOCs that it is possible operationally to work in the country and thereby encourage the IOCs to recommence their work programmes.”

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.

ANGOLA: Nineteenth oil discovery in Block 31; REPUBLIC OF CONGO: Marine XI drilling; ETHIOPIA: Petronas resumes exploration in Ogaden; MAURITANIA: Total drilling in Taoudeni Basin; NIGERIA: Oriental launches Ebok field development; SEYCHELLES: Black Marlin starts new seismic; TUNISIA: Australian company takes Chorbane permit

Anadarko has hit 14 metres of oil pay offshore Sierra Leone, extending its Ghana play 1,100km to the west and raising the prospect of new finds in Côte d’Ivoire and Liberia, writes Thalia Griffiths

The selection of a construction contractor for the delayed Karuma dam has run into trouble over claims of irregularities in the tender process. Cornelia Sabiti, executive director of the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority, wrote to the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development on 5 September seeking an administrative review of the 600MW project.

IPSA Group, which is listed on London’s Alternative Investment Market and Johannesburg Stock Exchange, has finally announced the sale of its four Siemens Westinghouse 701 DU gas turbines, in deals worth $66m. The deals will help IPSA to overcome its debt problems, escaping a difficult situation by exploiting the global increase in turbine prices

The US Trade and Development Agency has awarded a grant to GreenCape Sector Development Agency to procure a US company to undertake a feasibility study into an integrated liquefied natural gas (LNG) import and gas-to-power scheme in the Western Cape. The study will assess market demand, socioeconomic impact and key risks for the project, as well as providing a preferred model for the importation of LNG. The study comes as the government’s LNG-to-power procurement programme has stalled in the face of the political crisis in South Africa.

Australia’s Rialto Energy has agreed to acquire 75% in C&L Natural Resources, which holds an 85% stake in Block CI-202.

ALGERIA: Petroceltic plans Ain Tsila appraisal; ANGOLA: New 15/06 find for Eni; ANGOLA: KBR wins Clov contract; DR CONGO: Soco drilling; EGYPT: Crosco provides rig for INA well; GUINEA-BISSAU: Svenska 3D survey; KENYA: Cove completes farm-in; NIGERIA: Ebok field sail-away ceremony; ERHC ENERGY: Registered direct offering raises $2m; GE: Dresser acquisition; PROSAFE/BW: Nigeria extensions, merger