Ghana’s new administration headed by Mr John Dramani Mahama has constituted a technical committee made up of representatives from the energy sector agencies to present a roadmap aimed at averting a possible load-shedding in the West African country.
The committee has up to the close of today to present the roadmap to the newly appointed Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, for consideration by the government.
The committee held a meeting at the private office of President Mahama in the morning of Wednesday. The meeting was chaired by the Chief of Staff.
It would be recalled that in November 2024, the West African Gas Pipeline Company Limited (WAPCo) announced a planned maintenance exercise of its pipeline infrastructure that traverses Itoki, Ogun State in Nigeria through Benin, Togo and Ghana.
The phase 1 which involves the cleaning and inspection of the onshore section of the pipeline which is located within Nigeria had already been completed.
The phase 2 of the project scheduled to begin in January 2025 involves the cleaning and inspection of the main section of the pipeline, which is offshore, stretching from Badagry in the Lagos State, Nigeria, to Takoradi in the Western Region of Ghana.
This will necessitate the shutdown of key facilities in Tema, Ghana; Lomé, Togo; and Cotonou, Benin.
This exercise will reduce the amount of gas supply to power plants in the east and western power enclaves.
Speaking to journalists after the meeting in Accra, the Spokesperson for President Mahama, Mr Felix Ofosu Kwakye, said the roadmap from the technical committee would help government weigh its options in addressing the impending challenge.
“As I indicated there is a committee, a technical committee with representation from all the key players in the energy valuation that will be meeting. They have up to the close of today to present a roadmap,” he said.
“So all options that can be explored to first of all avert any difficulty and address the situation at hand will be put on a table and government will make a decision based on what we receive,” Mr Kwakye added.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Over a hundred youth stormed the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) today, Wednesday, to demand the exit of appointees of the previous government in less than 24 hours after the swearing-in of the new President of Ghana.
Sources within the refinery told this portal that the group said they did not want any appointee of the previous administration to remain in office.
According to the sources, some of the group also said they were there to seek jobs since a new administration had taken over the affairs of the country.
Sources said it took the effort of security officers of the refinery to control the angry youth who later agreed to leave the refinery.
The 45,000 barrel per stream day premier refinery had been idle for several months during the immediate past administration.
Efforts to seek a private partner to revamp the refinery failed.
The refinery has a workforce of about 515 people.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Think about a time when your electricity went out. As you sat in the dark, maybe you wondered how long it would be before you could power up your computer again. Or perhaps you considered what you could make for dinner that didn’t require cooking.
Many people in Africa don’t need to imagine such a scenario — they live it. Every day.
A large portion of the continent, primarily in sub-Saharan Africa, lacks access to reliable and affordable electricity. This energy poverty represents a major barrier to improving the quality of life for nearly 600 million people and achieving sustainable development goals across the continent.
In fact, Africa is the most energy-deficient continent in the world, with 75% of the world’s population lacking electricity. And although urban dwellers aren’t completely shielded from power outages, the extent of energy poverty is much more intense for rural populations.
Without reliable electricity, daily life can be challenging. Basic tasks like studying, working, and cooking become more difficult and time-consuming — if not downright hazardous. Relying on kerosene lamps or candles for illumination can be dangerous, both as a biohazard and a fire risk.
These fuels are often inefficient and can lead to health problems like respiratory diseases and eye infections. The use of traditional fuels such as wood and animal dung for cooking and heating indoors releases harmful pollutants, leading to indoor air pollution. This is a major cause of respiratory illnesses and premature deaths, especially among women and children.
On a macroeconomic scale, energy poverty hinders economic development and limits access to basic human services like health care and education. Without power, essentials like refrigeration and medical equipment cannot be used.
Businesses and industries that lack reliable power cannot operate efficiently, resulting in economic stagnation and stunted job creation. Energy poverty exacerbates social inequalities, as those with access to electricity have better opportunities for education, health care, and employment.
The State of African Energy 2025 Outlook, recently published by the African Energy Chamber (AEC) and available at https://energychamber.org, names three main challenges that African countries face in achieving universal access to electricity:
Expanding electricity access
Ensuring that energy remains affordable
Reducing dependence on fossil fuels, such as firewood and diesel generators used for lighting and cooking.
To combat these challenges, African countries are exploring a variety of solutions, including expanding access to electricity grids, promoting renewable energy sources like solar and wind power, and improving energy efficiency. However, significant challenges remain, including the high cost of infrastructure, limited financial resources, and a lack of technical expertise.
The Key? Decentralizing Power
In a sense, Africa is lucky: It’s sitting on a veritable goldmine of solar and wind potential.
With its vast expanse of deserts and coastlines, Africa is blessed with abundant sunlight and strong winds. This makes it an ideal location for harnessing solar and wind energy. Many regions receive intense sunlight year-round, creating the ideal conditions for large-scale solar power plants. Meanwhile, the continent also boasts long coastlines and elevated areas that experience strong and consistent winds, making them suitable for wind power generation.
While there are challenges with renewables, such as the need for significant investment and infrastructure development, today’s technology is advancing so rapidly that costs for renewables are becoming sustainable. This offers a unique opportunity to electrify Africa, in both urban and rural regions.
Until recently, efforts to electrify Africa have mostly relied on extending traditional grid connections and centralized power distribution. And investments to modernize and expand power grids are great — for people in urban centers. Unfortunately, these traditional grid situations do little for people in more isolated rural areas.
As we point out in our 2025 Outlook report, decentralized power generation — typically based on solar home systems and mini-grids — is the best bet to eradicate energy poverty among people in more isolated rural areas. As we see it, decentralized systems will be key for universal electrification. By decentralizing power generation, Africa can secure a sustainable energy future and improve the lives of millions of people.
Standalone power systems or localized power networks (otherwise known as “mini-grids”) have become efficient means of power that utilize solar in combination with battery storage and backup generators. These solar home systems are proving their worth in electrifying individual households in rural areas. As our report notes, we anticipate that options like these will be an increasing feature of the African power landscape as renewables penetrate the generation mix.
We are also seeing a dramatic uptick in off-grid systems to fill in the gaps left by the centralized grids. Our report found that Africa accounts for over 16% of the global decentralized renewable capacity, and off-grid solar solutions have as a result provided power to millions across sub-Saharan Africa.
Solar accounts for nearly 80% of Africa’s decentralized renewable capacity. Solar home systems generally include a small solar panel and a rechargeable battery that powers lights, radios, and phone chargers, while on a greater scale, mini-grids and smaller, more localized microgrids are used to supply power to entire communities.
Solar home systems and solar mini-grids have become increasingly successful in Africa, with installations being ramped up 12 times and 45 times respectively over the last decade.
By 2022, over 77 million people and nearly three million people on the continent gained access to electricity through solar home systems and solar mini-grids respectively.
Where Is the Money Coming From?
Because of the high upfront costs associated with installing solar panels, many decentralized connections in rural Africa have been financed through innovative pay-as-you-go (PAYG) programs. PAYG models enable people with limited income to access solar power by breaking down the cost into smaller, manageable payments.
To make sure that we maintain efforts toward universal electrification across the continent, it will be critical to continue securing public funding. The AEC encourages collaborative efforts from governments, the private sector, and development banks to lower costs for developers and ensure the success of these large-scale decentralization projects.
Our report highlights African Development Bank’s Desert-to-Power initiative, which is combining its own funds with those from international sources such as the Green Climate Fund and several European governments to install 10 GW of solar power across 11 countries by 2030. If all goes as planned, some 250 million people will finally have access to reliable electricity.
At the same time, we urge leaders and policymakers to ensure the financial sustainability of national subsidies that will help make these decentralized technologies more affordable for even more households, in both urban and rural settings.
Source: NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman, African Energy Chamber
The Zambian Energy Regulation Board (ERB) has dismissed reports of a fuel crisis in Zambia, stating that the country has sufficient stocks of petroleum products.
While there have been sporadic stockouts at some filling stations, particularly for petrol, the ERB attributed this to logistical challenges.
“As of 3rd January 2025, out of 616 filling stations monitored countrywide, 503 were selling both diesel and petrol while only 14 filling stations were completely dry on both products,” the ERB said in a press statement.
The ERB explained further that only 101 retail sites were not selling petrol out of the 616 filling stations monitored countrywide.
According to ERB, the introduction of refundable transit taxes in Zimbabwe of about US$25,000 per truck has resulted in transporters opting to use alternative routes through Chanida
and Nakonde border points, leading to extended transit times.
Additionally, some OMCs have cited delays in bringing in petroleum product via the ports of Beira and Dar-es-Salaam due to increased congestion at the loading ports.
In order to mitigate the effects of the challenges associated with the importation of petrol, the ERB said it is actively engaging the OMCs and other government agencies such as the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) and the Road Transport and Safety Agency (RTSA) to ensure implementation of measures aimed at timely delivery of petroleum products.
These measures include, among others, OMCs pre-clearing their imported products to avoid delays at the border and easing on requirements for hiring local tankers for transportation of petroleum products.
Further, the extension of movement of petroleum tankers beyond 18:00 is still in effect from last year to ensure the country is adequately stocked with petroleum products.
To this end, the ERB reiterated that there is no fuel supply crisis in the country and calls on consumers not to engage in panic buying as the country has sufficient stocks to meet daily requirements.
Source:https://energynewsafrica.com
AMEA Power, a leading renewable energy company, has been awarded two 300MWh Battery Energy Storage Projects (BESS) in South Africa’s North West Province.
The Gainfar and Boitekong projects, located in the North West Province, each with capacity of over 300MWh will play a vital role in strengthening Eskom’s grid stability.
The Gainfar Project will be connected to the Ngwedi substation, while the Boitekong Project will be connected to the Marang substation.
The power company secured the contract through competitive bidding selection process.
The projects will provide essential power and ancillary services to Eskom through 15-year Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs).
Hussain Al Nowais, Chairman of AMEA Power, said: “This achievement marks a major milestone for AMEA Power, as we continue to expand our footprint in South Africa, a key market for us.
These projects represent our first successful awards of BESS projects, through a competitive bidding process and underscore our commitment to providing sustainable, resilient and cost-effective energy solutions.
We are proud to support South Africa’s energy transition, enhance Eskom’s grid reliability, and drive economic growth in the region. With our expanding portfolio, including the 120MW Doornhoek Solar PV project, and our regional office in Johannesburg, we are dedicated to contributing to cleaner, more sustainable energy future for South Africa.”
Both projects will deliver essential power, energy, and ancillary services to Eskom through 15-year Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs), further solidifying AMEA Power’s role in the country’s energy landscape.
Once operational, these energy storage systems will provide robust, reliable backup power, enabling a stable grid and supporting South Africa’s renewable energy journey.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Exxon has filed a suit against California Attorney General Rob Bonta and a group of environmental organizations alleging defamation and disparagement of the company’s recycling work.
“With apparently no appreciation for the irony of their claim, Mr. Bonta and his cohorts are now engaging in reverse greenwashing,” the company said in the suit, filed in Texas, as quoted by Bloomberg. “While posing under the banner of environmentalism, they do damage to genuine recycling programs and to meaningful innovation.”
The supermajor also alleged business interests were at play, noting in its lawsuit that one of the entities named as the guilty party, a law firm called Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy, had ties to an Australian non-governmental organization funded by mining millionaire Andrew Forrest, who is a competitor of Exxon in low-carbon tech, Reuters reported.
Exxon’s move comes in response to a lawsuit filed by California’s Bonta against the company last year, alleging that the company misled the public into believing recycling was a workable solution to plastic waste while in fact the approach had limitations.
“Exxon Mobil knew that 95% of the plastic in the blue bin was going to be incinerated, go into the environment or go into a landfill,” the California Attorney General told NBC at the time. “They knew and they lied,” he said, adding that the rate of plastics recycling in the United States had peaked at 9%.
Exxon was quick to respond to the accusations, saying “For decades, California officials have known their recycling system isn’t effective. They failed to act, and now they seek to blame others. Instead of suing us, they could have worked with us to fix the problem.”
The latest lawsuit adds to a growing body of evidence that Big Oil is ready to fight back after years of pressure from anti-oil authorities and scores of lawsuits originating with climate change activist groups
Source: Oilprice.com
The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) is urging farmers to exercise caution when burning bushes to clear their farmlands for the next planting season.
Ing. Christopher Apawu, the District Manager for the Krobo District, made this plea after noting that bush burning during the Harmattan season in 2023-2024 resulted in the loss of some electricity poles.
To prevent such incidents, Apawu emphasized the importance of responsible bush burning practices.
Apawu also warned against unauthorized access to the ECG distribution network, stressing that those actions can be fatal and will lead to prosecution if caught.
Ing. Christopher Apawu, Krobo Distirct Manager for the Electricity Company of Ghana Limited.
By taking these precautions, farmers can help prevent accidents and ensure a stable power supply.
Some farmers will definitely be preparing to burn their farms for the new planting season, hence his call for all to be responsible with such bush burning.
During the discussion, he added that all of us need to be each other’s keeper.
“If one happens to chance on another person preparing to burn their farm but they have not created boundaries which will prevent the fire from spreading to other farms, as well as boundaries around electricity poles and transformers, we should get close and offer that education to them to help protect properties and to prevent possible uncontrolled fires,’’ he said.
Responsible bush burning can be achieved by farmers, ensuring that they have cleared out their boundaries of bushes to prevent the fire from spreading.
Additionally, one should stay close to the burning bushes with materials to quench fire, so in case it travels to unintended places, it can be put off. Additionally, one should know and have the contact of the Fire Service on standby.
People who cook on their farms, smokers who drop little pieces of lighted cigarettes stubs and those who hunt for animals with fires and smokes should all ensure that they have put off their fire completely when they are done to prevent possible fires.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
[pff-paystack id="31534"]
The Biden Administration is set to slap more sanctions on Russia’s oil exports by targeting tankers hauling Russian crude and products, sources familiar with the outgoing administration’s plans have told Reuters.
“It is going to be a big package,” one of Reuters’s sources said.
The current Administration plans to target vessels that carry Russian oil above the $60 per barrel price cap that Western allies have imposed on Russian crude and petroleum products. The scope of the upcoming sanctions is expected to include persons involved in networks that trade Russia’s oil above the G7 price cap, according to the sources.
The price cap mechanism set by the G7 and the EU says that Russian crude shipments to third countries can use Western insurance and financing if cargoes are sold at or below the $60-a-barrel ceiling. The measure took effect at the end of 2022 when the EU imposed an embargo on imports of Russian crude oil.
The Biden Administration is looking to stifle Russia’s oil revenues and support Ukraine more ahead of the inauguration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, who has said that the U.S. cost of supporting Ukraine is too high.
The new U.S. sanctions would add to the already tightened measures against Russian oil exports that the UK and the European Union have recently announced.
European countries have been ramping up sanctions pressure on Russia as they look to reduce Vladimir Putin’s oil revenues that fund the war in Ukraine.
The UK and the European Union announced in the middle of December a raft of new sanctions that target Russia’s shadow fleet of tankers enabling oil trade.
The UK went further, sanctioning two trading firms, which it described as “key lynchpins in enabling the trading of Putin’s precious oil.”
The UK’s latest sanctions came a day after the EU adopted the 15th package of sanctions against Russia, which targets 52 new vessels from Russia’s shadow fleet, increasing the total number of such listings to 79. These non-EU vessels are subject to a port access ban and a ban on the provision of services.
Source: Oilprice.com
The Executive Director for Africa Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP), Benjamin Boakye, has challenged the outgoing President of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s claim of handing over an energy sector that is stabilised and the same level of debt inherited from his predecessor.
While addressing the nation on Friday during his last State of the Nation in Parliament, President Akufo-Addo said: “I am pleased to report that we have kept the energy sector legacy debt at $2.5 billion, the same level we inherited, and have averted the US$12.5 billion debt scenario, despite the rising cost of energy production and the global economic challenges that have unfolded during my tenure.”
He continued: “The energy sector has truly been transformed, and I am leaving office confident that the foundations we have laid will serve this nation well for generations to come.”
However, in an opinion piece, Mr Boakye objected to President Akufo-Addo’s claim.
Benjamin Boakye, who accused the outgoing government of mismanaging the energy sector, said consolidation of judgment debts, Independent Power Producers (IPP) debt, gas supply debt and interest payments on debt to foreign banks would reveal a far greater outstanding debt in the sector than what President Akufo-Addo disclosed to Ghanaians.
According to him, the public’s expectation was not to inherit a $2.5 billion debt and pass it on unchanged after injecting several billions into the inefficiencies.
He said the failure to resolve the energy sector’s issues has been a major contributing factor to the economic collapse, as borrowed funds were squandered on mismanaging the energy sector.
“Billions of dollars were extracted from the people, both directly and indirectly, to cover the inefficiencies that led to the rise of political millionaires,” he claimed.
Below is Mr Benjamin Boakye’s full write upWe are leaving things exactly as we found them? No. Here is why:
It’s true that the energy sector’s debt stood at $2.5 billion in 2017. This includes debt from the downstream petroleum sector, TOR’s debt, and the power sector.
ESLA was established to address this legacy energy sector debt, with a five-year sunset. This meant the sector’s debt was expected to be amortized by 2020.
However, the ESLA plan was derailed with the creation of ESLA PLC, which shifted the negotiated debt from the original owners to the bond market. This made it impossible for ESLA proceeds to cover coupon payments and principal servicing. ESLA PLC also took on payments for recurring debt rather than tackling legacy debt.
In 2019, the World Bank and the government projected that energy sector underrecoveries could reach $12.5 billion—up from $2.7 billion—if the sector continued to be managed the same way, particularly due to power sector underrecoveries (the downstream sector had already been deregulated, so no underrecoveries were expected there).
The primary objective of the Energy Sector Recovery Programme (ESRP) was to bring the sector into balance by 2023, where revenue would match payment requirements, without accumulating further debt.
It’s striking when the President claims his government averted the projected $12.5 billion in underrecoveries by 2023. The reality is that, by 2023, the projection had been revised to $14.5 billion, despite some claims of success by the World Bank to feel good about its failed Programme.
The situation could have been worse were it not for the Russia-Ukraine war, which provided a reprieve on LNG supplies that could have added nearly $1 billion annually to the debt burden. So, perhaps we didn’t need to worry so much about wheat prices after all.
When the Russia-Ukraine war began, GNPC was scheduled to receive LNG under a take-or-pay contract, which would have exceeded local demand. At the time, the contract price for LNG was around $17 per MMBtu, significantly lower than the price in Europe, which was over $30. Shell PLC, which had a contract with GNPC, deferred delivery to sell at a premium in Europe. GNPC could have taken the LNG at the contracted price and resold it for a profit, but that’s a discussion for another day.
The key report expected from the President as his term ends should focus on whether the energy sector has reached a state of balance and whether the legacy debt has been cleared.
Unfortunately, the opposite is true. The sector’s underrecoveries have worsened year after year. The underrecoveries for 2024 are higher than those for 2023, and cumulative debt has exceeded the projected $12.5 billion, not including interest on some debts and judgment debts in the sector.
ECG can only pay half of its bills but continues to waste funds on sole-sourced procurements, undermining a key component of the ESRP, which advocates for competitive procurement in the sector. Fuel supply contracts were sole-sourced throughout the President’s entire eight-year term, with no option for least-cost procurement as prescribed by the ESRP.
The major initiative to bring in the private sector to manage ECG’s operations failed to materialize over the past eight years. PDS is now in court with ECG and the government over wrongful termination.
The public has been taxed in various ways to cover the mismanagement of the energy sector, including through the ESLA’s 49 Pesewas Energy Debt Recovery Levy and 20 Pesewas the Energy Sector Recovery Levy; 69 Pesewas per liter of fuel consumed- more than GHS 3 billion a year.
Yet, the President talks about $2.5 billion debt. In reality, the debt should be much higher. A consolidation of judgment debts, IPP debt, gas supply debt and interest payments on debt to foreign Banks would reveal a far greater outstanding debt in the sector.
The $2 billion Genser pipeline contract has yet to be factored into electricity tariffs, yet GNPC continues to rack up debt for securitizing the project.
The public’s expectation was not to inherit a $2.5 billion debt and pass it on unchanged after injecting several billions into the inefficiencies. The failure to resolve the energy sector’s issues was a major contributing factor to the economic collapse, as borrowed funds were squandered on mismanaging the energy sector. Billions of dollars were extracted from the people, both directly and indirectly, to cover the inefficiencies that led to the rise of political millionaires.
Residents of Abuja in the Federal Republic of Nigeria will from today, Monday, January 6, 2025, experience seven-hour power outage from 9 am to 4 pm each day until January 20, 2025.
This was contained in a statement signed by Ndidi Mbah, General Manager, Public Affairs, Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), on Friday.
The outage is necessitated by the Federal Capital Development Agency’s (FCDA) road dualization project along the Apo axis.
According to TCN, “Eight number 132kV and 33kV towers will be relocated along the Kukwaba/Apo 132kV line (Outer Southern Expressway route). This relocation work will necessitate a planned power outage from Monday, 6th January to Monday, 20th January 2025 from 9 am to 4 pm daily, which is the estimated duration for the dismantling and construction of the towers, as well as restringing of the power cables that would enable resumption of bulk power supply to the Apo Transmission Substation from Gwagwalada Substation.”
This initiative, the statement said, is essential to facilitate the expansion and modernisation of the Outer Southern Expressway, a project expected to significantly improve transportation efficiency and enhance urban development in the capital city.
Maraba, Nyanya, Masaka, Others Affected
The areas affected by this planned outage, according to the TCN statement, include Kubwa, Karu, Maraba, Nyanya, Masaka, Keffi, Kukwaba, and Apo Mechanic.
It will also impact parts of the Lugbe, Trademore Estate, Pyakasa, Sabon Lugbe, Chika, and Alaita axis.
Customers of Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) in these locations will experience electricity rationing during the specified period.
The relocation of the transmission towers is critical for the successful completion of the Outer Southern Expressway road project, an initiative aimed at improving traffic flow and infrastructure in the capital city.
TCN, however, expressed regret over the temporary inconvenience this outage will cause, stating, “While the relocation of the transmission towers is a necessity for the road completion project, TCN apologises for the inconvenience this planned power outage will cause and assures that power supply will be restored as soon as the towers relocation and cable stringing are completed.”
Last week, TCN informed the public that Abuja residents would experience temporary power outages this weekend due to essential maintenance work at two critical transmission substations.
According to TCN, these planned activities were designed to enhance the operational efficiency and reliability of the power infrastructure in the affected areas.
The maintenance schedule commenced on Saturday, December 28, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., during which TCN engineers undertook technical servicing on a 60MVA power transformer and its associated switchgears at the Gwagwalada 330/132/33kV Transmission Substation.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
The International Energy Agency (IEA) is set to convene a major international energy security summit in London, scheduled for April 24-25, 2025 .
The summit aims to assess the existing and future risks facing the global energy system and prioritize solutions to address them.
The IEA has been at the forefront of international energy security for 50 years, helping to avoid, mitigate, and manage energy supply disruptions and crises. Recent efforts include releasing emergency oil stocks and developing a 10-point plan to reduce Europe’s reliance on Russian natural gas following the invasion of Ukraine.
The summit will bring together global leaders and decision-makers to ensure a coordinated approach to addressing energy security challenges.
It will also examine the geopolitical, technological and economic factors affecting energy security at the national and international level. It will provide global decision makers and key actors with an opportunity to review the trends redefining global energy security.
These include changes in energy demand, supply and trade; the adoption of clean and efficient energy solutions; the availability of the minerals and metals required for clean energy technologies – from wind turbines and solar panels to electric vehicles and battery storage; and the allocation of investment during the transition away from fossil fuels.
“The global energy crisis delivered a sobering reminder to countries around the world on the importance of energy security and its implications for our economies,” said IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol.
“From its founding 50 years ago, the IEA has been a leader in safeguarding energy security and anticipating emerging risks. As the nature of energy security evolves amid looming threats, the IEA will continue to do all it can to ensure uninterrupted access to energy at affordable prices while honouring global climate commitments. I’m grateful to the UK government – under the leadership of Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Secretary of State Ed Miliband – for hosting this Summit, which will bring together leaders and decision- makers from around the world to ensure that we are taking the right actions today for stronger energy security tomorrow.”
UK Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said: “In an unstable world, the only way to guarantee our energy security and protect against volatile energy price spikes is to speed up the transition away from fossil fuels to clean, homegrown energy. Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine global energy security has become more important than ever. I am determined that the UK takes a global lead on clean energy and I look forward to working closely with the IEA as we host this crucial Future of Energy Security summit next year.
Together we can mobilise international action for cheap, clean, secure energy as we drive forward the global energy transition.”
Source:https://energynewsafrica.com
Russian state atomic energy corporation Rosatom has announced the completion of construction and installation works at Unit 1 of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) in Bangladesh.
This marks a significant milestone in the construction of the country’s first nuclear power plant.
Located 160 km from Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, Rooppur NPP is equipped with two VVER-1200 reactors, with a total capacity of 2400 MW.
The Russian-designed VVER-1200 reactors, which have been successfully implemented at the Novovoronezh NPP, meet all international safety requirements and feature an evolutionary Generation III+ design.
“We have entered the final stage of preparation for the physical start-up of Rooppur NPP Unit 1,” said Andrey Petrov, First Deputy Director General for Nuclear Energy of Rosatom.
“We guarantee the reliability and safety of our technologies, and the first nuclear power plant in Bangladesh will support the country’s economy and benefit future generations.”
The commissioning of Rooppur NPP will provide over 10% of Bangladesh’s total energy consumption, helping to alleviate the country’s acute shortage of electrical power.
Rosatom is also constructing nuclear power plants in Egypt, Hungary, Turkey, and China using Russian technology.
Source:https://energynewsafrica.com
South Africa’s recently adopted tax breaks for electric vehicle production have already piqued the interest of three Chinese EV manufacturers to invest in new-energy vehicles in the African country, an official at the local automotive association told Bloomberg.
Three car makers from China have already signed non-disclosure agreements with the South African Automotive Business Council, its CEO Mikel Mabasa told the newswire in an interview published on Friday.
Mabasa did not elaborate on which these automakers are.
South Africa now has as much as a 150% tax deduction on investment in electric- and hydrogen-powered vehicle production.
Chinese EVs are already competing with the South African manufacturing bases of global giants such as Toyota and Volkswagen AG.
Despite the plans for the massive tax breaks – months in the works – no Western manufacturer has announced yet new investments in EVs or other zero-emission vehicles.
Earlier this year, Volkswagen and Isuzu Motors said they do not have immediate plans to make electric or hybrid vehicles in South Africa despite generous tax breaks in the country.
South Africa has said that companies that invest in the production of electric vehicles (EVs) in the country would be able to claim a 150% tax deduction on these investments, beginning in 2026.
The country aims to attract EV manufacturing and incentivize its EV and hydrogen industries, which are relatively small and underdeveloped.
However, Volkswagen and Isuzu plan to remain focused on vehicles with internal combustion engines in South Africa, the respective regional heads of the two auto manufacturers told Bloomberg.
Stellantis, however, is weighing the possibility of expanding its South African production into the new-energy vehicles (NEVs), as EVs, plug-in hybrids, and traditional hybrids are known.
Stellantis’s decision would depend on whether a market for these vehicles emerges in South Africa, the managing director of the company’s South African unit, Mike Whitfield, told Bloomberg in an interview in June.
Source: Oilprice.com
The outgoing Ghana’s President Nana Akufo-Addo says his administration inherited a crippling energy sector but managed to stabilise it and thereby kept the lights on during his eight-year tenure.
According to him, this has largely been done through tough negotiations with independent power producers (IPPs), prudent financial management, and targeted interventions.
“It is worth emphasising that I inherited a nation plagued by dumsor, but I am very happy to say that I leave office in 2025 with the lights on,” he said.
President Akufo-Addo, who was delivering his last State of the Nation Address in Parliament on Friday (3 January), stated that his government had also kept the energy sector legacy debt at $2.5 billion, the same level it inherited.
“Mr. Speaker, we got to work immediately. Through tough negotiations with IPPs, prudent financial management, and targeted interventions, we have been able to stabilise the sector, while keeping the lights on.
“I am pleased to report that we have kept the energy sector legacy debt at $2.5 billion, the same level we inherited, and have averted the US$12.5 billion debt scenario, despite the rising cost of energy production, and the global economic challenges that have unfolded during my tenure.”
“The energy sector has truly been transformed, and I am leaving office confident that the foundations we have laid will serve this nation well for generations to come,” he added.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
This will necessitate the shutdown of key facilities in Tema, Ghana; Lomé, Togo; and Cotonou, Benin.
This exercise will reduce the amount of gas supply to power plants in the east and western power enclaves.
Speaking to journalists after the meeting in Accra, the Spokesperson for President Mahama, Mr Felix Ofosu Kwakye, said the roadmap from the technical committee would help government weigh its options in addressing the impending challenge.
“As I indicated there is a committee, a technical committee with representation from all the key players in the energy valuation that will be meeting. They have up to the close of today to present a roadmap,” he said.
“So all options that can be explored to first of all avert any difficulty and address the situation at hand will be put on a table and government will make a decision based on what we receive,” Mr Kwakye added.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com 
