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Gazprom has announced a start date for work on the long-awaited Kudu gas-to-power project, and NamPower has raised more funds in the domestic market, boosting confidence in Namibia’s ability to meet domestic demand and play a significant role in the regional industry, write Thalia Griffiths in Cape Town and Kevin Godier

The Ministry of Energy and Water has given a consortium led by China Gezhouba Group Corporation (CGGC) an engineering, procurement and construction contract to build the 2,171MW Caculo Cabaça hydropower project, the Chinese construction and engineering company announced on 11 June. The contract, valued at $4.53bn, will include civil works as well as the supply, installation and commissioning of hydromechanical and electromechanical equipment, it said. Work is to be completed within 80 months. CGGC said the government would need to make a loan application to Chinese banks to arrange financing for the project.

The decision by the Milan prosecutor to include Eni and its chief executive, Paolo Scaroni, in its investigation of Saipem’s activities in Algeria has focused attention on a key associate of former energy and mines minister Chakib Khelil.

Record electricity consumption in mid-July has highlighted the basic weaknesses of beleaguered state utility Sonelgaz as it seeks to attract international support for its ambitious investment programme, writes Oualid Khelifi

South Africa’s BioTherm Energy has signed an agreement to sell 60% in three solar and wind plants to New York Stock Exchange-listed SunEdison. The three operating plants were developed by BioTherm under the first round of the renewable energy independent power producer procurement (REIPPP) programme. They are the 26.19MW Dassiesklip wind project and the 9.65MW Konkoonsies and Aries solar projects developed by Aurora Power Solutions and BioTherm with funding from Denham Capital.

The Export-Import Bank of China is to extend a concessional loan worth $214m to the government of Rwanda to finance the 43.5MW Nyabarongo II hydropower project and associated transmission infrastructure. Representatives of the two governments signed a framework agreement on 8 February paving the way for the disbursement of the loan, which will finance the construction of the hydropower plant, a substation, and a 110kV transmission line to connect the plant to the grid.

The World Bank on 27 May approved an additional $200m loan for the Electricity Network Reinforcement and Expansion Project (Enrep). The package includes a $5m grant from the Energy Small and Medium Enterprises Trust Fund while the Ethiopian government will provide $43m. Two carbon finance initiatives worth $21m have also been approved under the Carbon Initiative for Development to support off-grid renewable energy products. The project will focus on strengthening and expanding the grid as well as increasing the number of customers in connected areas. Efforts will also be made to develop the market for solar products and to provide technical assistance to state utilities.

The African Development Bank’s soft loans arm has approved $348m in funding for an electricity highway project between Kenya and Ethiopia. The $1.26bn Eastern Electricity Highway Project is the first step towards a regional power pool which many hope will curb electricity price increases and improve security of supply.

More transparent, investor-friendly procedures are promised to attract investors to key sectors like electricity, but high transaction costs and burdensome bureaucracy remain a challenge

A review of oil and gas contracts and legislation planned by the African Petroleum Producers Association (APPA) aims to simplify the negotiating process by drawing up a model contract based on international standards and best practice in Africa and worldwide.

Nearly a year after the unity government came to power, Zimbabwe’s economic fundamentals are little improved and financiers are holding back from supporting essential projects, writes Kevin Godier

Griffiths Energy International has been hit with a record fine for paying bribes as part of its efforts to secure exploration acreage in Chad, after the company’s new management uncovered evidence of wrongdoing and reported it to Canadian police.

For long a significant player in project finance and emerging markets, BNP Paribas (BNPP) has become a bigger force still on the Africa and Middle East energy scene with the acquisition

Sterling Energy has announced plans to raise £62.5m ($103m) through a discounted share placing and says it is no longer in takeover talks.

The European Investment Bank has launched its first international bond issue denominated in Zambian kwacha.