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Construction of the long-awaited Zambia-Tanzania-Kenya (ZTK) interconnector is expected to start by year-end, according to comments by Zambian utility Zesco’s managing director Victor Mapani to African Energy.
Tanzania Electric Supply Company (Tanesco) has recorded its highest annual surplus since the state utility was founded in 1964. Tanesco said it had connected 504,000 new households during the 12 months to 30 June 2022, a 21% increase from FY 2020/21 and another record for the company
National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) has granted the new National Transmission Company of South Africa the first of its three much-anticipated operating licences, giving impetus to the long-awaited restructuring of state utility Eskom and the wider electricity supply industry . Nersa also approved government plans to procure 7.8GW of new capacity. The largest element of this is Eskom’s planned 3GW combined-cycle gas turbine plant in Richards Bay.
Namibia Power Corporation (NamPower) has issued three open tenders for generation and transmission contracts, including a call for engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) bids to build the 70MWp Rosh Pinah solar PV project.
United Kingdom government-owned Gridworks has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Tanzania Electric Supply Company (Tanesco) to develop the country's first independent transmission project (ITP).
Sibanye-Stillwater is investing in wind and solar procurement to power its operations across South Africa, as the mining and metals multinational seeks to offset poor electricity supply from state utility Eskom and achieve decarbonisation targets.
The African Development Bank (AfDB)’s $50m package to develop the Dekemhare 30MWp solar PV and 15MW/30MWh battery storage plant, approved in April, was a notable exception to the position of most multilateral and bilateral financiers, who prefer to avoid Eritrean projects.
The West African Power Pool (Wapp) has announced the permanent synchronisation of 12 member state grids, as Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo linked up.
The state-owned Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) has agreed a $20m concessional loan to upgrade transmission and distribution (T&D) infrastructure in the Kamonyi district of Rwanda.
Lagos-based developer Elektron Energy Development Strategies and utility Eko Electricity Distribution Company are partnering on the construction of a 30MW natural gas-fired power plant on the commercial capital’s Victoria Island (VI).
Gambia’s largest ever renewable IPP is being developed in a West African Power Pool initiative that is intended to boost Banjul’s efforts to move away from reliance on on-grid thermal generation. National Water and Electricity Company (Nawec) is also looking to engage with IPPs interested in developing wind plants along the coast, while electricity access will be further improved by transmission and distribution upgrades.
While Botswana has talked about shifting into renewable energy it remains wedded to huge coal resources. But international backing to develop an export-focused 300-500MW ‘Mega Solar’ initiative may help to reduce King Coal’s domination – if not, for now, in the domestic market. The first phase of the Africa Energy Transition Catalyst Programme (AETC) Mega Solar initiative is expected to install 300-500MW across Namibia and Botswana, with further capacity to be added after regional transmission lines are in place, writes Tonderayi Mukeredzi in Gaborone.
Goma-based renewable energy developer Nuru closed a funding round in early July, the proceeds of which will be used to start construction work on three solar hybrid metro-grids in Goma, Kindu, and Bunia.
Electricity wheeling is gathering momentum in South Africa, as the sector tries to address the country’s power crisis. However, further reforms may be needed to tariff structures to encourage more participants into the market, writes Tonderayi Mukeredzi.
The German government-supported Clean Energy and Energy Inclusion for Africa (CEI Africa) fund said on 2 June it had awarded $7.3m in grants to three solar PV mini-grid developers for projects in Kenya.
