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The East African Community (EAC) Sectoral Council on Energy has approved an energy security policy framework for the region which aims to provide policy guidance towards better understanding, measurement, monitoring, evaluation and management of energy security risks and challenges.

Wärtsilä has announced a framework supply contract for the generating equipment for three new fast-track power plant projects being developed by Dongfang Electric International Corporation. The new baseload plants will be located in Luena, Benguela and Saurimo, and will each have an electrical output of approximately 23MW.

After more than a year of negotiations with the government, Eni and Vitol have reached an agreement paving the way for development of the Sankofa project on the Offshore Cape Three Points Block. The Ministry of Energy & Petroleum said in a statement the next stage would be the approval of the plan of development, and its ratification by parliament. The $6bn project is expected to start commercial production of oil and gas by mid 2017, and will deliver up to 170mcf/d of gas for 20 years.

For many years Canada had a reputation as a laggard when it came to enforcing its anti-corruption law. But things are changing, with forthcoming law amendments, a strengthening of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police’s abilities and some high-profile investigations under way, writes Eleanor Gillespie. So far, 2013 has been a landmark year for Canada’s anti-corruption campaigners. It has seen the second conviction of a Canadian natural resources company – Griffiths Energy International – under the Corruption of Foreign Public Officials Act (CFPOA) and the attempt to strengthen the Act through significant amendments (Bill S-14) submitted to parliament in February.

Uganda Electricity Generation Company (UEGCL) has invited bids by 19 October to provide technical support for operations and maintenance of the Karuma and Isimba hydropower plants on the Victoria Nile. The 183MW Isimba plant, which is located in the Kamuli District in the Eastern Region, about 40km downstream of the 250MW Bujagali station, was fully commissioned in March 2019.

Société Nationale d’Electricité du Burkina Faso (Sonabel) on 16 September launched three tenders for the construction of transmission lines. Two tenders relate to the 90kV Koudougou-Zagtouli line, both with submission deadlines of 12 November and site visits on 8 October. The West African Development Bank is funding the contracts.

The 67.9MW Bokamoso solar PV plant in South Africa has begun operating, the project company announced. The plant is the largest in North West province, comprising 236,580 solar panels on a 150ha site, and has been under construction since November 2018.

Upstream operator Total has signed a host government agreement (HGA) with Uganda for its proposed oil export pipeline project connecting Uganda’s oil fields to Tanzania’s Tanga port. “We have today reached major milestones which pave the way to the final investment decision [FID] in the coming months.

Mozambique is making preparations to launch a new licensing round including both onshore and offshore acreage. National Petroleum Institute (INP) vice-president exploration Augusto Macuvele told Frontier’s Africa E&P virtual summit the INP had held consultations with companies in January and February, asking what areas they would like to see included.

Competition is believed to be intense as bidding closes to take over Sasol’s 50% stake in the Rompco pipeline, which runs 865km from the Temane gas field in Mozambique to Sasol’s Secunda complex in Mpumalanga.

After considerable speculation that the government might seek a new concessionaire or even nationalise the power utility, the Ivorian cabinet on 30 September approved a new concession agreement for Compagnie Ivoirienne d’Electricité (CIE), renewing the existing agreement which expires at the end of October.

The 40MW Aggeneys, 67.9MW Bokamoso and 75MW Konkoonsies II solar PV plants have all begun operating. Aggeneys and Konkoonsies II were developed by private equity firm Actis’ Biotherm Energy and are expected to generate around 33GWh/yr. Both plants use Canadian Solar’s 1500V high-voltage polycrystalline silicon PV modules on single-axis tracking systems.

Engie Africa launched a pilot project earlier this month to provide purified water, power and Wi-Fi to off-grid communities in Kigali, Rwanda.

ExxonMobil has signed risk service contracts with the National Oil, Gas and Biofuels Agency (ANPG) for three blocks in the unexplored Namibe Basin offshore southern Angola. ExxonMobil will operate blocks 30, 44 and 45 with a 60% stake. Sonangol Pesquisa e Produção will hold the other 40%. The blocks cover an area totalling 17,800km2, located 50km-100km from the Angolan coast, in a water depth of between 1,500 metres and more than 3,000 metres.

France’s Rubis Energy, which has acquired the KenolKobil business in East Africa, plans a cautious approach to expansion. Unlike competitors that have rapidly expanded service station numbers over the last three years, Rubis Energy says it will focus on refurbishing existing sites and open new ones only in “very strategic” locations.