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National Energy Regulator of South Africa’s approval of an electricity trading licence for the ambitious Anglo-American/EDF joint venture Envusa Energy highlights the growing role of traders in the electricity supply market.

French utility Engie has concluded the purchase of BTE Renewables’ South African assets from private equity investor Actis, six months after the deal was announced. It is the second significant South Africa development for Engie in recent weeks, following financial close on the Grootspruit and Graspan solar PV plants on 30 November.

Saudi developer Acwa Power has signed a power purchase agreement for its Dao hybrid project under South Africa’s long-delayed risk mitigation independent power producer procurement (RMIPPP) programme.

According to a number of people close to the project, the final delivery cost for the 750MW Kafue Gorge Lower hydroelectric power (HEP) station is now expected to be some $300m less than the previously expected, after refinancing by Zambian state utility Zesco and the main contractor. Zesco managing director Victor Mapani outlined to African Energy the expected impact on the final tariff that Kafue Gorge Lower Power Development Corporation (KGLPDC) charges to Zesco.    

Copperbelt Energy Corporation (CEC) has launched a $54m ‘green’ bond, as part of a larger $200m programme of issuance to fund an expansion of its solar photovoltaic generation capacity to 300MW.

To keep South Africa’s faltering flagship Just Energy Transition Programme (JETP) on the road, the African Development Bank (AfDB) and United Kingdom government approved a $1bn guarantee to allow the bank to increase its lending capacity to the programme.

Electricity minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa has jump-started dormant plans to build South Africa’s first new nuclear capacity since 1985, with an international tender to be issued in March, writes Marc Howard.

Mining and metals group Sibanye-Stillwater has reached financial close on two renewable energy projects that will provide power to its operations via a wheeling agreement with state-owned utility Eskom.

The COP28 climate talks in Dubai ended on a more positive note than many had thought possible, but for all the talk of eventually phasing out fossil fuels, multi-billions of dollars-worth of climate finance and operationalising the long-awaited Loss and Damage Fund, the crowds who descended on Dubai left with much to do and huge financial shortfalls to make up.

South Africa’s operational nuclear capacity, the Koeberg pressurised water reactor (PWR) on the Atlantic coast north of Cape Town, is in the process of being rehabilitated and upgraded to extend its operational life to 2045. Eskom has confirmed that work has started on the maintenance, refuelling and replacement of the plant's Unit II steam generators.  

Kenya's  Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation (Rerec) has commissioned the Mageta Island solar PV mini-grid in Bondo, Siaya county.

France-based infrastructure investor Meridiam has signed a 25-year concession with the government of Togo and EDF to finance, design, build and operate a 64MWp solar PV plant in Sokodé, Central Region.

State utility Tanzania Electric Supply Company (Tanesco) has started work to connect the 2.1GW Julius Nyerere hydroelectric power (HEP) plant to Chalinze substation in Pwani district, via a 400kV power transmission line built by India’s Larsen & Toubro (L&T).

Nigeria's  Rural Electrification Agency (REA) has announced a construction start at two off-grid solar PV systems in the Federal Capital Territory, backed by $12.4m from the South Korean government.

The Public Utilities Corporation (PUC) has signed a €21.8m ($23.5m) deal with Belgium’s International Montage Maintenance (IMM) to add 18MW of capacity to the 66.4MW Roche Caiman thermal baseload plant in Mahé.