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The long-delayed plans to develop a 600MW plant on the Cunene River to supply both Angola and Namibia have been expanded, with a main 860MW dam to be built with a 18MW balancing dam. Solar PV and pumped-storage components may also be added, writes Martin Burdett.

A fresh burst of activity is expected in Namibia’s Orange Basin, where Portugal’s Galp Energia is the latest international oil company to plan drilling, in a venture that also includes state-owned Namcor and ubiquitous local magnate Knowledge Katti.

Production is set to increase in Africa’s two main uranium producers, Niger and Namibia, as market prices surge after a decade in the doldrums. The extra output comes largely from recommissioned mines, with the greenfield Dasa project facing delays following Niger’s coup.

State utility NamPower has issued a procurement notice for renewable energy consultancy services, under the Namibia Renewable Energy Scale Up Support Project (NRESUSP). The work is divided into two parts.

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.

Shell and TotalEnergies are preparing appraisal drilling campaigns in Namibia as the country continues its progress towards becoming a global production hotspot.

Namcor’s glitzy headquarters are an indication of its growing influence, following major offshore finds, but there are also signs of an increasingly bitter power struggle, with the suspension of the national oil company’s managing director and the arrest of its chair, writes Our Namibia Correspondent.

Australian Securities Exchange (ASX)-listed Paladin Energy has confirmed that its Langer Heinrich mine in Namibia's Erongo region is on track for a production restart in Q1 2024, following $118m of refurbishment works.

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.    

Namibia Power Corporation (NamPower) has invited engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractors to tender for the 40MW Otjikoto biomass plant.

London AIM-listed Andrada Mining announced a $25m deal with New York-headquartered metals and minerals investor Orion Resource Partners on 17 August, covering its tin, lithium and tantalum projects.

Most big oil companies reported a sharp falls in profits in Q2 2023, but Africa still figures prominently in results and future plans – and where it doesn’t majors are able to divest at least some of their more attractive assets.

Namibia Power Corporation (NamPower) has issued three open tenders for generation and transmission contracts, including a call for engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) bids to build the 70MWp Rosh Pinah solar PV project.

Toronto- and Stockholm-listed Africa Oil Corporation has increased its stake in Block 3B/4B, pointing to heightened interest in South Africa’s portion of the Orange Basin and the Canadian company’s efforts to emerge as a major E&P play in a region where the Venus and Graff finds off Namibia have aroused ever more excitement.

London AIM-listed Tower Resources has provided a bullish view of its offshore PEL 96 licence, covering activity in blocks 1910A, 1911 and 1912B in the northern Walvis Basin.