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The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) has approved a regulatory clearing account (RCA) balance for Eskom of R13.27bn ($763m).The RCA is a mechanism for recouping prudently incurred costs that were not foreseen in previous tariff determinations, as well as making adjustments where assumptions such as inflation and tariff income have varied. The balance will be recouped from standard tariff customers, special pricing arrangement customers and international customers. Eskom and Nersa have frequently found themselves at odds over the RCA as well as tariff determinations.

Following a series of delays, a new date has been set for the commissioning of the Nyagak III hydroelectric power project. The Uganda Electricity Generation Company said in December that the project was 80% complete.

National utility Eskom is gauging interest in a $10bn plan to become carbon neutral by 2050. The plan was first devised by the Eskom Sustainability Task Team and hinges on South Africa having one of the highest carbon emissions per capita in the world, providing plenty of scope for emissions reductions.

 The Independent Power Producer Office (IPP Office) announced on 28 October that 25 preferred bidders had been selected with a combined contracted capacity of 2,583MW, in the fifth round of the renewable energy IPP procurement programme (REIPPP5).

Gabon Power Company (GPC) reported that a consortium of lenders met in Libreville as part of their appraisal of the 120MW Owendo gas-fired independent power project (IPP).

Power purchase agreements have been signed for 18 solar power projects under the fifth and sixth bid windows of the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producers Procurement Programme (REIPPPP), as South Africa strives to add new generation capacity to the national grid. Despite receiving bids for 4,116MW of onshore wind capacity, mineral resources and energy minister Gwede Mantashe failed to announce any new wind projects under REIPPPP6.  

The start of appraisal drilling on the Venus discovery by Africa Oil Corporation is due by end-March, amid reports of a further find by Shell which is separate to its previous Graff and La Rona discoveries.

A front-runner in helping East Africa to meet its ambitions to tap vast graphite reserves, Australian Securities Exchange (ASX)-listed Walkabout Resources’ 40,000 t/yr Lindi Jumbo graphite project has reached an advanced stage of development. Its developer told African Energy that the project had been boosted by President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s market-oriented reforms and by robust global demand, which is supporting Tanzanian ambitions to become a significant supplier of the critical mineral. The project and graphite's role in the energy transition is analysed by Marc Howard in Dar es Salaam.    

Africa Oil Corporation (AOC) said the farm-in process for Block 3B/4B offshore South Africa is advancing, with the aim of securing a new partner by end-Q1 2023. The Vancouver-based company has described Block 3B/4B as “on trend” with the Venus and Graff oil discoveries made by TotalEnergies and Shell in Namibia’s Orange Basin in early 2022.

With drilling under way at the Kingfisher development, plus new production sharing agreements and a third bid round mooted for May, Uganda expects considerable progress this year in its upstream and in building its much-anticipated pipeline and refinery infrastructure – although experts warn that potentially daunting challenges remain, writes James Gavin.

A $120m development of three ‘metro-grids’ in Democratic Republic of Congo, including 19MWp of solar PV and 60MWh of battery storage is moving ahead. UK-based consortium leader Gridworks told African Energy it is also eyeing the potential for small hydroelectric power plants, following its recent investment in Nairobi-based Virunga Power, writes Marc Howard.

Adding to the welter of joint schemes discussed during Italian head of government Giorgia Meloni’s 23 January visit to Algiers was the potential revival of the Galsi pipeline. The ‘Gazoduc Algérie-Sardaigne-Italie’ project was first proposed in 2000 to carry 8 bcm/yr from Koudiet Draouche to Sardinia and on to Piombo and the mainland.

Not long after the strategically important Memvé’élé hydroelectric power (HEP) dam was said to have achieved its full 211MW operational capacity – having added 131MW to the existing 80MW unit – low water levels have meant the plant is providing much reduced supply to seven of Cameroon’s ten regions.

Australian Securities Exchange-listed Aura Energy has signed a 30-year convention with the Mauritanian government for the greenfield Tiris uranium and vanadium project.

With bids due in by end-January on seismic data acquisition, Petroleum Agency South Africa (Pasa) is hoping this year will see progress towards licensing rounds covering offshore and onshore acreage which could be launched in 2024.