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Kenya’s first independent power transmission (IPT) projects – the 165km 400kV line from Lessos to Loosuk and the 72km 220kV line from Kisumu to Musaga – are expected to reach financial close by end-2023, with construction to start thereafter, according to project sources.

The Ghanaian government is making another effort to renegotiate state electricity distributor Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG)’s supply deals with independent power producers (IPPs), in a bid to replace take-or-pay agreements that have left the state liable for unused electricity while amassing large debts.

Goma-based renewables developer Nuru has raised $1.5m from Nairobi-headquartered investor E3 Capital, the United Kingdom’s Renewable Energy Performance Platform (REPP) and Agence Française de Développement subsidiary Proparco.

Developer Aqua Power is seeking to use its 45MW gas-to-power plant in Mtwara, Tanzania to supply troubled Cabo Delgado province in northern Mozambique, in an ambitious privately-financed plan that would build a 220km high-voltage transmission line and substation in Palma, writes Marc Howard.

Electricity theft in South Kivu – where it is especially prevalent – is called dahoulage, derived from the Mashi word kudahula, which means taking fire from a neighbour’s home to light one’s stove. Wires may be connected to state utility Société Nationale d’Électricité (Snel)’s high-voltage cables for distribution between neighbours to connect illegal lines to their homes, reselling them electricity at a flat rate, sometimes from homes converted into illegal electricity supply cabins.

African nations, the governments of partner countries, international financial institutions (IFIs) and private investors are increasing their commitments to achieving universal energy access, the seventh of the United Nation’s sustainable development goals (SDG7). But the prospects of reaching the SDG7 target by 2030 are receding as population numbers continue to rise. A daunting amount of work remains to be done if SDG7 is to be achieved. In a newly published report commissioned by the Africa-EU Energy Partnership (AEEP), Cross-border Information – the parent company of African Energy – has analysed financial flows towards SDG7 over the past seven years and their estimated potential trajectories to 2030 and beyond.

One of southern Africa’s most eagerly anticipated strategic projects should finally be completed by year-end, after overcoming a legacy of past conflicts. African Energy examines the challenges the 218km, 400kV Mozambique-Malawi (Moma) transmission interconnection project has faced, including  a five-month demining process along the 142km Mozambican side.

President Samia Hassan’s government has expressed a warm welcome for private capital in the power and other sectors – to the extent it expects investors will develop most of the capacity planned to be added to the grid this decade. But risks go with rewards, and in a feisty address to industry players energy minister January Makamba has categorically ruled out sovereign guarantees, insisting developers finance and structure projects on their commercial merits alone, and show his ministry more respect, writes Marc Howard in Dar es Salaam.

Power supply to the Lindi Jumbo graphite mine will be provided by a 33kV line from the southern circuit of Tanzanian Electrical Supply Company (Tanseco)’s grid.

Zesco is seeking permission to raise electricity tariffs for domestic consumers by a weighted average of 37% this year, in the first of what it hopes will be a series of annual rises over the next five years to help the state power utility move closer to cost-reflective tariffs.

The transaction for Amari Power Transmission – a project to upgrade four substations in Uganda that was announced last year – should close later in 2023, according to UK investor Gridworks.

Amid the gloom, there is some good news for Malawi’s power sector. Steady progress is being made on the long-awaited 218km, 400kV Mozambique-Malawi (Moma) Power Transmission Interconnection Project which remains on schedule to be completed by year-end.

Algerian utility Sonelgaz is promoting plans to export more power to its neighbours in North Africa and across the Mediterranean to Europe.

The European Commission has agreed to cover more than one-third of the cost of the Elmed power interconnection from Tunisia to Italy. Interest in the project was revived four years ago alongside rising European interest in importing renewable energy-sourced power from north Africa.

State utility Société Nigérienne d’Electricité (Nigelec) has issued a tender to design, procure and install a 132kV transmission loop in Niamey. The project is funded by the World Bank Group (WBG) under its Accelerating Electricity Access Project, which also includes development of solar PV mini-grids in rural areas, increasing access to solar off-grid services and utility operational performance improvemen.