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Operator Sonangol P&P is preparing to start a two-well exploration programme on the Cabinda Onshore North Block by the end of July. Partner SOCO International said final preparations were under way at the Dinge 20-6 and Dinge 20-7 well locations.

The Agence Française de Développement has invited bids by 9 January 2019 from consulting companies to support the development of biomass power plants in the cocoa and cotton sectors. Full tender documents are available at: www.achatpublic.com.Contact: Agence Française de Développement, 5 rue Roland Barthes, F - 75015 Paris, France. Tel: +33 1 53 44 30 19; E-mail: [email protected]; Website: www.afd.fr.

Egyptian media have stepped up their campaign against the long-term sales contracts to supply natural gas to Israel through the East Mediterranean Gas Company (EMG),

Operator Maersk Oil has announced an oil discovery with the Caporolo-1 exploration well in the Lower Congo Basin.

The West African Power Pool is seeking bids for the measurement of solar resources in member countries. The successful bidder will visit sites in all 14 member countries to identify 28-30 locations and take high-quality measurements over a two-year period. The company will be responsible for acquiring relevant permits and for supplying the equipment. Bids are due by 9 March.Contact: WAPP secretary-general Siengui Ki, PK 6, Zone des Ambassades, Akpakpa, Cotonou, Benin. Tel: +229 9121 5252/9121 5353; Email: [email protected], cc: [email protected] and [email protected].

Upstream regulator Agence Nationale pour la Valorisation des Hydrocarbures may now wait until early 2012 to launch its fourth licensing round.

French group Vinci has set up a new facilities management joint venture in Morocco, working through its Cegelec Maroc and Vinci Facilities subsidiaries.

The government has applied to the World Bank to use funds left over from the Eastern Electricity Highway project to interconnect the power grids of Ethiopia and Kenya to build three 400/220kV substations at Gilgil, Kimuka, and Lessos. Procurement will include consultancy services to assist with bidding as well as three construction lots, one for each substation. The 220kV switchyards will require extension. Contact: Dr John Mativo, Kenya Electricity Transmission Company Ltd, Kawi Complex, South C, PO Box 34942 – 00100, Nairobi, Kenya. Tel: +254 20 495 6273. Email: [email protected].

Bid round advisers EY opened licensing round bids from prequalified companies in London on 17 November. National Oil Company of Liberia (Nocal) said EY would now provide an independent evaluation of the fiscal terms contained in each bid. Winning bidders are expected to be notified by 24 November, and Nocal will then negotiate production-sharing contracts (PSCs) with the companies. The Liberia Basin bid round offered four undrilled offshore blocks – LB-6, LB-7, LB-16 and LB-17. The government had pledged not to award new oil concessions until it had passed a new oil law and Nocal Act, but argues that these are not new blocks.

US President Donald Trump is committed to delivering his campaign promises to withdraw from the Paris Agreement and stop funding for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Speaking at a press briefing in London on 30 January, Myron Ebell, who oversaw the Environmental Protection Agency transition team but has returned to his role as a director at the Center for Energy and Environment, said Trump was aiming to leverage US coal and shale resources to achieve “global dominance” in energy supply.

Sonangol on 12 April made declarations of commerciality for three gas discoveries: the Lira well on Block 15/14 in the Lower Congo Basin, and Katambi-1 on Block 24/11 and Lontra-1 in Block 20/15, both in the Kwanza Basin.A presidential decree in June 2014 granted Sonangol the mining rights to develop and produce hydrocarbon gases in the Block 15/14 Lira concession area. Sonangol said that, in accordance with the Block 15/06 production-sharing agreement, it would start talks with Block 15/06 operator Eni on options for exploiting, developing and monetising the natural gas resource.

Johannesburg utility City Power has been cleared of all allegations of fraud and corruption relating to a tender awarded to Edison Power Group for advanced metering infrastructure in 2012. An independent review panel chaired by Vuyani Ngalwana concluded that they could find “no evidence of improper interference in the bid evaluation process” and “no evidence of irregularity in the award of [the] contract”.

State utility Office National de l’Electricité et de l’Eau Potable (ONEE) has reported record demand, at 21.45 on 26 July, when consumption reached 6,050MW, 190MW higher than the previous peak, recorded in 2015. Air conditioners and agricultural pumps have been working overtime during a heat wave.

South Africa’s Standard Bank has agreed a corporate loan worth N$144.4m ($9m) with Windhoek-based independent power producer HopSol. HopSol Africa Ltd is part of Switzerland-based HopSol AG, a family-owned company whose chairman is Robert Hopperdietzel. Standard Bank senior manager Manus Grobler told African Energy that the loan would support operations at the company’s solar PV plants, which both have 5.6MW installed capacity. Otjiwarongo began operating in November, while work on Grootfontein began in January.

The Sudanese Thermal Power Generating Company (STPGC) signed an operation and maintenance contract with Siemens on 13 February for the Garri and Port Sudan thermal power stations. Siemens Southern and Eastern Africa chief executive Sabine Dall’Omo said the agreement would minimise operational risks and maximise plant availability. “As the original manufacturer of the turbines, we are best positioned to partner with STPGC. This agreement is also tangible evidence of our mutual long-term relationship with the country,” she said.