Search results

Wärtsilä has added 120MW of gas-to-power capacity in Nigeria so far this year, in a sign that demand for commercial and industrial (C&I) plants remains robust. Its strong pipeline of orders in West and North Africa notably includes large offtakers seeking to balance their grids and enable increased renewable energy capacity, the Finnish engine manufacturer told African Energy.

Maputo’s goal to become a regional power exporter continues to take shape, with investors committed to a substantial pipeline of renewable and gas-fired plants. Utility EDM is also promoting expansion of national and international interconnections, while progress is reported on the strategic 1.5GW Mphanda Nkuwa hydroelectric project, writes Marc Howard.

Another series of delays have postponed the commissioning of the Mozambique-Malawi Regional Interconnector Project (Moma), the World Bank Group (WBG) has confirmed. The 218km, 400kV line will connect Malawi’s isolated grid to the Southern African Power Pool (Sapp) and add a badly-needed source of electrons to its grid – with a 50MW allocation expected from state-owned independent power producer (IPP) Hidroeléctrica de Cahora Bassa.

South African electricity supply industry (ESI) lobbies have welcomed the creation of the Government of National Unity's new Department of Electricity and Energy (Dee) as a positive development that will enable a faster energy transition.

The ANC has kept control of a swathe of portfolios, as South Africa’s Government of National Unity has raised hope that the new coalition can speed reforms and implement more effective policies to tackle persistent economic challenges, write Tonderayi Mukeredzi and Jon Marks.

A 250MW deal between Karpowership and the authorities in Libreville comes as the Turkish floating power plant provider continues to attract interest from other African countries in need of quickly deployable on-grid baseload capacity additions, including Liberia, Guinea and Equatorial Guinea, writes Marc Howard.

Another lesser-known UAE royal has turned up touting business in Africa, with RAK ruling family member Sheikh Ahmed Bin Faisal Al-Qassimi signing deals to develop cable manufacturing and smart electricity meter plants in Zimbabwe and an investment agreement in Uganda, writes Eleanor Gillespie.

The National Transmission Company of South Africa opened for business on 1 July, marking an important step in the wider reform programme for state utility Eskom and the unbundling electricity supply industry.

State utility Eskom has announced that the Kusile coal-fired power plant’s 800MW Unit V has begun supplying electricity to the grid, while repairs continue to a damaged flue duct, which has taken three other units offline.

The 225MW Saint Louis combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) development on Senegal’s north-west coast is nearing financial close, according to a progress update given to African Energy by Turkish developer Aksa Energy.

The African Development Bank (AfDB) has formally cancelled a $1m grant to the now-abandoned Kibera Waste Pilot plant in Nairobi, following extensive procurement problems and a breakdown in its relationship with developer Asticom Kenya.

Meridiam-owned Rift Valley Energy has secured $15m in funding from the UK’s development finance institution British International Investment (BII) to build 7.6MW of wind and hydroelectric power projects.

Faced by a severe drought which has seen water levels fall dramatically at its hydroelectric power plants, Zambia is hoping to revive abandoned private sector-led power projects and speed up work on an interconnector with Tanzania.

Senior Kenyan officials have confirmed that the government’s moratorium on independent power projects should be lifted soon after the controversial 2024/25 budget is approved by the National Assembly. However, the passage of the finance bill has become entangled with anger over a cost-of-living crisis, with protestors storming the parliament on 25 June and even President Ruto’s apparent about-turn not calming tensions, writes Jon Marks.

Johannesburg-based Decentral Energy has started operations at a 1MW solar PV plant to supply power to the GWK Farm Foods maize mill in Christiana, North West province.