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Golar LNG has said upstream operator Perenco is planning for a drilling campaign in the Kribi area to prove up more reserves during 2020. If successful, this could lead to further capacity utilisation and/or contract extension for the FLNG Hilli Episeyo, Golar said in its Q3 results.

Joule Africa has received a $500,000 grant from the Private Infrastructure Development Group’s Technical Assistance Facility to help finance the final stage of feasibility studies for the 283MW Kpep hydropower project, including part of the environmental and social impact assessment (ESIA). “This funding comes at an exciting time for the Kpep project, which has recently been identified as a priority power project for the country by the government of Cameroon.

Private investors will be offered the opportunity next year to construct and operate the first two of a series of small hydropower plants across West Africa that are being promoted by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization to improve power supply to rural communities. The first two projects, with a combined installed capacity of 9MW, are being developed in Cameroon as demonstration projects.

Cameroon power utility Eneo has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with a consortium led by Norway’s Scatec Solar for the construction of two PV plants with a total installed capacity of 25MWp. The MoU, which was signed in mid-July and announced on 8 August, sets out the modalities for the project structure and the key milestones for the two projects and paves the way for finalisation of a power purchase agreement with Eneo and start of construction work, the utility said in a press release.

Victoria Oil & Gas (VOG) has signed a non-binding term sheet with Turkey’s Aksa Enerji to supply up to 25mcf/d of gas to a planned 150MW power station in Bekoko, Douala. The term sheet, announced on 29 July, is subject to various conditions, including government approvals and the signing of a power purchase agreement between Aksa and distribution utility Eneo Cameroon or Sonatrel, the government-owned manager of the national grid.

Sinohydro signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Water and Energy on 11 July to carry out studies for the design, financing, construction, operation and maintenance of a 20MW solar power plant at the site of the Lagdo hydroelectric power plant in the Bénoué district of northern Cameroon. The ministry said the MoU aimed to define the terms of collaboration between the Cameroonian and Chinese parties on the project.

US developer Hydromine signed a letter of intent with the government and Eneo on 5 July for the development of the long-mooted Grand Eweng hydropower project. The parties will work together to finalise the terms of a power purchase agreement between the project company and the utility. The letter of intent also sets out the framework for development of the project on a build, own, operate and transfer model. Construction of the project, on the Sanaga River between Yaoundé and Douala in the eastern Littoral region, is expected to start within three years, with electricity generation starting in seven years.

A fire at the Sonara refinery in Limbe on the night of 31 May has put four units out of action but the energy minister has said the shortage will be covered by imports. The refinery declared force majeure after a tank exploded, causing a fire. “Flames consumed four of the 13 production units, stopping all the Sonara refining process,” Reuters quoted water resources and energy minister Gaston Eloundou Essomba as saying. “The market will remain supplied by imports.”

Electricity Development Corporation (EDC) invites expressions of interest from consultants by 7 June to carry out a study for the development of the hydropower potential of the Sanaga River Basin.

Construction work is under way on a 30MW hydropower plant at the Lom Pangar dam as Electricity Development Corporation (EDC) seeks to improve power supply. While the main purpose of the Lom Pangar project is to regulate the flow of the Sanaga River to reduce the seasonal variability of water flow, the hydro plant, being built downstream of the regulating gravity embankment dam, will use regulated water flows to generate cheaper and cleaner power for local communities by replacing expensive and polluting diesel-fired capacity, EDC director of studies and projects Adrien Towa told African Energy.

Tower Resources is preparing to start drilling the Njom 3 well on the Thali licence in late May. The well will be drilled to a total depth of 1,100 metres intersecting at least three reservoir zones already identified by the Njom 1B and Njom 2 discovery wells drilled on the Njonji structure by the previous operator Total. Vantage Drilling’s Topaz Driller rig expects to complete operations in Gabon in mid-May, which should make it possible to spud the well in the last week of May, Tower said.

Developers of the Kpep hydro project have completed environmental and social, geotechnical, hydrological, design and engineering and market studies and the first-phase feasibility report. Joule Africa said in its quarterly newsletter on 26 March that the report had been submitted to the government, and would soon be presented to local stakeholders, after which key commercial terms would be discussed with the government.

A consortium led by GE Renewable Energy with Spain’s Elecnor has been awarded a contract worth a combined $157m for the supply, installation and commissioning of the electro-mechanical equipment for the 420MW Nachtigal hydropower plant on the Sanaga River. GE Renewable Energy announced on 26 February that it would supply seven 60MW Francis turbines under a contract worth $87m, while the US-based engineering group’s hydro division would be responsible for the coordination of the project, including the design, manufacturing, erection supervision and commissioning of the turbines and generators, the control system and the mechanical balance of plant.

The World Bank Group (WBG)’s Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (Miga) has issued guarantees worth €164.5m to two investors in the 420MW Nachtigal hydropower project, where Miga sister institution the International Finance Corporation was lead arranger as well as an investor. Miga is providing breach of contract cover for up to 15 years to France’s EDF and Stoa Infra & Energie Ltd.

The European Commission has agreed to provide a grant of around €30m ($34m) to the African Development Bank (AfDB) for a 225kV interconnection project between Cameroon and Chad. The deal was agreed on 20 December but only announced in January. The project involves a 700km line from Ngaoundéré to Maroua in Cameroon and on to N’djamena and a second 250km line connecting Maroua to Mogrom in Chad and then completing the loop at N’djamena.