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Despite the global downturn, the Dutch DFI retains a strong line-up of diverse energy projects, writes Kevin Godier. Netherlands Development Finance Company (FMO) is maintaining its role as one of the most active and flexible debt and equity providers as the global credit crisis has cut back commercial finance, with a string of new financing packages for African power generation schemes awaiting approval

The UK’s HALO Trust is removing land mines along a transmission line running from Maputo to the South African border at Ressano Garcia

MAURITANIA: Uranium permit; MOZAMBIQUE: Riversdale wins Benga coal mining contract; NIGER: Uranium projects; NIGERIA: Gas supply constraints continue to hobble industry; NIGERIA: PHCN looks for tariff increase; SOUTH AFRICA: Transformer demand booms, consultant says; SOUTH AFRICA: New Western Cape wind farm scheme; TUNISIA: Nuclear deal with France; TUNISIA: Nexans cables for new airport; ZAMBIA: Lumwana inauguration

Oslo Börs-listed Artumas Group has retained DnB NOR Markets to help it work out ways to resolve its short-term financing problems (AE 159/4). Some $10m of convertible bonds fall due in June, and the Canadian company concedes that meeting the payments will pose a challenge in the present environment. The Oslo-based bank, part of Norway’s largest financial services group,

Energem Biofuels expects to produce its first jatropha oil by mid-2010 on the Bilene project in Gaza province, some 170km south of Maputo. Energem Energias Renovaveis de Moçambique (EERM) launched a project in February 2007 to establish and manage plantations on up to 60,000ha of suitable land. Energem Biofuels chief executive Thomas Swithenbank told African Energy $10m had been invested so far.

CAMEROON: US bauxite miner seeks power; EGYPT: Ain Sokhna financing; KENYA: Wind map tender; KENYA: Wind turbine tender; MOZAMBIQUE: Coal India wins concessions on two blocks; RWANDA/BURUNDI: Interconnection loan; SOUTH AFRICA: Alstom contract for Koeberg; ZAMBIA: Kariba North construction launched

Electricidade de Moçambique plans to invite international tenders in March for the refurbishment of two hydropower plants.

British company to carry out Baynes EIA; NBE loan for EETC’s grid expansion; Indians look for coal; Transmission line tenders; Study sought for Ngwempisi hydro cascade; Small hydro

A look at the Gulf oil investors and companies investing in Africa

Al-Ghurairs Africa operations

ADDAX: Onshore Nigeria find; PROSAFE: Drilling FPSO heads for Murphy’s CONGO-B field; ROC OIL/MAREX: Mozambique Channel block; PERENCO: Gabon find

EX-IM BANK: Still open for Nigeria; MOZAMBIQUE: IFC finances mining exploration; MENA REGION: IFC supports CTI Group

Austria’s Andritz VA Tech Hydro announced in mid-December that it had received a contract valued at more than 40m ($54m) from AES Sonel for refurbishment of the 263MW Edea and 396MW Songloulou hydropower projects on the Sanaga River. The hydropower equipment supplier said it would replace turbine-generators of units 1, 2, and 3 at Edea I. The three units were supplied and installed by the Austrian company between 1949 and 1955 and will each be upgraded from 35.3 MW to 49.2 MW.

CAMEROON: Andritz VA Tech Hydro wins refurb order; EGYPT: AfDB loan for Ain Sokhna; EGYPT: Bechtel gets nuclear design and consultancy contract; EGYPT: Transmission order for KEC; GHANA: Gas-to-power plans; MOZAMBIQUE: EU-backed capacity-building TA work; NAMIBIA: NamPower tenders Ruacana IV civil works; NAMIBIA: EIB/EU support for NamPower, Caprivi interconnector; NIGER: Areva to mine Imouraren uranium; NIGERIA: Business lobby plans 30MW wind farm; SUDAN: Talks on co-operation with Iran; TOGO: Opic funding for Lomé plant

Electricidade de Moçambique (EDM) invites expressions of interest from consultants to carry out two studies of a transmission backbone system to deliver power from up to 7,000MW of planned new hydropower and thermal power plants in Tete Province in northwestern Mozambique to the south of the country.