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In a significant sign of international support for the transitional government, the World Bank has approved a $240m loan for additional financing of the Giza North power project; Spain’s Gamesa has signed a contract with the New & Renewable Energy Authority to deliver 200MW of turbines to a wind energy projects in the Gulf of El Zayt on Egypt’s Red Sea coast

Kleinschmidt Associates has been awarded a contract funded by the US Trade and Development Agency to carry out feasibility studies for the Chilongo and Chimpili hydropower projects. Chilongo is being developed by MPF Development Consultants at Chilongo Falls on the Lufubu River in Kawambwa district, Luapula province. Chimpili is being developed by Bukota Company on the Kalugwishi River in the same district.

Itezhi-Tezhi Power Corporation (ITPC) has issued a tender for construction of the 120MW Itezhi-Tezhi hydropower project on the Kafue river. Bids from prequalified contractors for the project’s design, supply and construction are due by 2 May.

Compagnie Energie Electrique du Togo (CEET) has invited bids by 31 January for the rehabilitation of the 1.6MW Kpimé hydropower plant in the south-western Plateaux region. The plant, near Kpalimé, about 120km from the capital Lomé, comprises two 0.8MW units, and is the only hydropower plant owned and operated by CEET. The rehabilitation work, to be financed by CEET from its own funds, is expected to be completed within 16 weeks of contract signing, according to a tender notice published on 24 December.

Japan’s Toshiba Energy Systems & Solutions Corporation and France’s Vinci Construction signed a memorandum of understanding on 3 May to explore opportunities to cooperate for the construction of hydropower and geothermal plants in Africa, including collaboration on design, engineering, manufacturing and consultancy.

Société Nationale d’Electricité (Snel) on 19 December took delivery of an Airbus H135 helicopter to monitor its 6,000km high-voltage transmission network in remote areas that cannot be accessed by road. The World Bank funded the purchase of the helicopter and the training of crews with up to €4.39m ($4.78m) as part of its support for the Southern African power market. The helicopter is expected to remain operational for 20 years, and has infrared and radar detection systems, said Airbus Helicopters Southern Africa managing director Alain Montalvo, who came to Kinshasa for a handover ceremony with Snel management.

The Ethiopian government has announced ambitious plans to expand its generation capacity to 37,000MW by 2037 from 2,300MW now, to meet growing domestic demand and supply the region. Ethiopia already exports 60MW to Djibouti and 100MW to Sudan, and is constructing a 500kV interconnection with Kenya, capable of exporting 2,000MW. However, under the new programme, the government aims to export 4,000MW to nine countries in the region, potentially expanding its network of clients to the Southern African Power Pool and countries in North Africa. Aimed at turning Ethiopia into a middle-income country by 2023, the Growth and Transformation Plan seeks to double access rates, increasing the number of Ethiopians connected to the grid to 4m and expanding electricity services to 75% of towns and villages.

In another sign of its growing presence in Africa, South Korea has agreed to provide a $35m soft loan to build three solar power plants in Mozambique.

The Ministry of Water and Energy and the Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation have given US companies Global Trade and Development Consulting and Energy Ventures a contract for three 100MW solar plants in the east of the country.The site selection, due diligence and feasibility study were completed earlier this year and the plants will be developed on a build-operate-transfer basis. Global Trade and Development Consulting is run by Ethiopian-born economist Yonnas Kefle. In 2010, the government launched its Growth and Transformation Plan, which aims to turn Ethiopia into a middle-income country by 2023.

With the sale of key Power Holding Company of Nigeria assets high on President Goodluck Jonathan’s agenda, state privatisation agency Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) says 331 companies have expressed interest in the sales of 11 distribution companies, and six generating assets.

Brazil’s Eletrobrás has signed an agreement with Electricidade de Moçambique for technical co-operation on a viability study of a transmission line in Mozambique

Ethiopia’s plans to attract more foreign capital into its power industry took a step forward in late October as the government announced 14 projects that it wants to build and run as public-private partnerships (PPPs). The plan to attract private finance for the planned hydropower and solar schemes is a departure for a government that has borrowed heavily over the last decade from Chinese banks and elsewhere to construct large-scale dams such as Gibe III and the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (Gerd), as well as for major transmission projects.

On 14 December, Siemens signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Ghanaian independent power producer (IPP) Rotan Power Ltd to develop and build a 660MW combined cycle power plant at the Aboadze Power Enclave in the Western Region. The project is set to be developed over two phases, with the first scheduled to be completed by 2023 and the second by 2025.

BOTSWANA: More power from Mozambique; KENYA: KPLC seeks bids for HFO plants; MOZAMBIQUE: EdM seeks substation bids; NIGERIA: GE tie-up; SOUTH AFRICA: Koeberg maintenance; UGANDA: Fichtner to study Isimba hydro project

After signs that Botswana’s proposed Mmamabula coal-fired power project had lost its way, CIC Energy has appointed Rothschild as the financial adviser for the scheme, whose downsized 1,200MW first phase retains a 2012/13 start-up date, writes Kevin Godier.