Ghana: CBOD Defends Sage Petroleum, Blue Ocean…Urges LPG Marketers To Collaborate With NPA
The Chamber of Bulk Oil Distributors (CBOD) in the Republic of Ghana has thrown its weight behind Sage Petroleum (Quantum Terminals) and Blue Ocean for their investments in LPG distribution system under the Cylinder Recirculation Model programme to boost LPG access.
According to the chamber, the two entities are Ghanaian companies that have been legally registered under the laws of Ghana and complied with the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) Act 691, Act 2005.
The two entities together have made an investment of US$30 million in LPG bottling plants, storage facilities, and cylinders, as well as a US$70 million investment within the next 18 months.
The chamber’s defence follows a statement issued last week by the LPG Marketing Companies which announced their decision to cease business with Sage Petroleum and Blue Ocean’s depots in the Tema enclave.
The action by the LPG Marketing Companies was in protest by Sage Petroleum and Blue Ocean’s decision to register new businesses and participating in CRM programme.
The LPG Marketing Companies deemed the action by the two entities as an unhealthy competition because the LPG they sell in their retail outlets are purchased from the same companies that want to take over their market.
However, reacting to the issue, CBOD, in a statement, mentioned that GOIL had acquired a licence and had constructed and commissioned two bottling plants in Tema and Kumasi, adding that Ghana Gas had also acquired a licence and it intended to establish its own bottling plant.
The chamber questioned whether it is illegal for both institutions to participate in the LPG market.
The chamber described the LPG Marketing Companies’ decision to cut ties with Sage Petroleum and Blue Ocean as counterproductive to the LPG promotion efforts by the government, NPA and all stakeholders.
While urging all stakeholders to engage in constructive dialogue to resolve the current issue and foster collaboration within the industry, it encouraged the LPG Marketing Companies to collaborate with the regulator and all relevant stakeholders, stressing that working together is the key to ensuring nationwide access to safe LPG by 2030.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Russia To Open New Laboratory To Study Technologies For Hydrogen Production
Russia’s St. Petersburg Polytechnic University is in the process of creating a laboratory to carry out research on the use of hydrogen energy as a sustainable source in the near future.
The topic is actively developing all over the world and may give a fresh insight on energy to Africa.
Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University (SPbPU, belongs to Consortium of Rosatom’s Flagship Universities) together with Rosatom’s Mechanical Engineering Division CDBMB JSC has set about creating a laboratory to study chemical technologies using digital solutions for hydrogen energy projects.
The laboratory will be equipped with the latest equipment so master’s students could carry out chemical technologies research, develop kinetic models of catalytic processes, including the production of hydrogen and its derivatives (ammonia, methanol, synthetic fuels, etc.), and collect data to create and verify digital twins.
Up to 15 people will be able to work in the laboratory at the same time.
The laboratory is scheduled to open in autumn 2024.
“Today, hydrogen technologies play a key role in the development of the chemical industry and energy sector. Modern energy sector needs an efficient and ecofriendly fuel, and hydrogen will become such an energy source in the near future.
The knowledge-intensive projects of Advanced Engineering School in the interests of CDBMB JSC provide the foundation for new Gen equipment that will allow the industrial partner to become a technology licensor and take a leading position in the new industry,” concluded Yuri Aristovich, Head of the “Digital Engineering of the Main Equipment of Chemical-Engineering Systems” scientific and educational centre.
SPbPU Advanced Engineering School with the support of CDBMB JSC have organised “Digital Engineering of the Main Technological Equipment of Hydrogen Technologies and New Generation Energy Systems” new master’s programme for 2024-2025 academic year.
The programme starts on September 1, 2024.
“The importance of scientific research in master’s training cannot be understated. In the new laboratory, students will not only master the methodology of scientific research and gain research experience, but will also be able to conduct important studies within the framework of the promising hydrogen energy projects of CDBMB JSC,” noted Alexey Mikhailov, Director of Business Development at CDBMB JSC.
The laboratory may also be useful for training African students and exchanging research experience.
Developing renewable hydrogen production in Africa would allow African nations to meet domestic electricity needs while becoming a major exporter to supply growing global demand.
The use of hydrogen as a fuel is not a new concept. It is currently widely used in different applications such as fuel for cars, refining petroleum, treating metals, producing fertilizer, and processing foods.
Hydrogen releases a significant amount of energy when used as fuel, almost three times what can be obtained from diesel or gasoline.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Ghana: Petrol, And Diesel Prices Reduced At The Pumps
Oil Marketing Companies in the Republic of Ghana have reduced the pump prices of both petrol and diesel for the second pricing window of August, which runs from the 16th to the 30th of August.
A litre of petrol is now sold between Gh¢14.65 and Gh¢13.65 while diesel is sold between Gh¢14.80 and Gh¢14.60 per litre.
Unlike other parts of Africa where fuel prices are reviewed every month, in Ghana, fuel prices are reviewed every two weeks.
The reduction in fuel prices is a result of a reduction in refined petroleum products on the international market.
During the first pricing window which ended on August 15th, a US dollar was exchanged for between Gh¢15.55 and Gh¢15.80.
Data from the National Petroleum Authority, the petroleum downstream regulator, showed that the price of refined petroleum products -petrol and diesel went down.
Petrol price decreased to US$794.58 from US$817.75 per metric tonne while diesel price decreased to Gh¢720.20 from US$755.93 per metric tonne for the second pricing window of August.
Crude oil prices also witnessed some decreases during the first pricing window of August, with Brent falling from $80 to $74 per barrel and WTI falling from $84 to $77 per barrel.
Currently, GOIL is selling petrol (Ron 91) at Gh¢14.22 per litre while petrol (Ron 95) is sold at Gh¢15.62, with diesel being sold at Gh¢14.90 per litre.
Shell is selling petrol at Gh¢14.69 per litre while diesel is sold at Gh¢14.90 per litre.
TotalEnergies is selling petrol at Gh¢14.69 while diesel is sold at Gh¢14.85 per litre.
Star Oil is selling petrol at Gh¢13.65 per litre while diesel is sold at Gh¢14.02 per litre.
Petrosol is selling petrol at Gh¢13.99 while diesel is sold at Gh¢14.65 per litre.
Cash Oil is selling petrol at Gh¢13.65 while diesel is sold at Gh¢14.02 per litre.
Lucky is selling petrol at Gh¢13.49 while diesel is sold at Gh¢13.65 per litre.
Zen Petroleum is selling petrol at Gh¢13.65 per litre while diesel is sold at Gh¢14.02 per litre.
Allied is selling petrol at Gh¢13.93 while diesel is sold at Gh¢14.48 per litre.
Pacific is selling petrol at Gh¢13.27 per litre while diesel is sold at Gh¢13.49 per litre.
Engen Ghana is selling petrol at Gh¢14.60 while diesel is sold at Gh¢14.80 per litre.
Benab is selling petrol at Gh¢13.65 while diesel is sold at Gh¢14.02 per litre.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Nigeria: IBEDC Engages Customers In Ibadan, Ogun States
The Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) has conducted visits and engagements with some of its Maximum Demand (MD) customers in Ibadan and Ogun States.
This initiative is part of the company’s ongoing commitment to fostering strong relationships and gathering valuable feedback from its esteemed customers.
During the visits, Engr Agoha, who led the IBEDC team, emphasised the importance of customer satisfaction and outlined several key measures that IBEDC is undertaking to ensure an improved customer experience.
He highlighted the company’s determination to explore bilateral partnerships and other options.
Engr Agoha also mandated the IBEDC team to ensure a quicker turnaround time for fault resolutions, emphasising that prompt response and resolution of issues within IBEDC’s control are critical to maintaining customer trust and satisfaction.
Furthermore, he assured the customers that IBEDC is committed to strengthening its working relationships with other stakeholders in the power sector to enhance overall service delivery.
“Our engagement with customers is crucial to understanding their needs and ensuring we meet their expectations.
“Their feedback is invaluable to us, and we are committed to addressing their concerns and improving our services to meet their expectations.
“Our goal is to build a power distribution network that is efficient, reliable, and customer-centric.”
The customers expressed their appreciation for the visit and the proactive steps being taken by IBEDC.
They conveyed their hopes for a smoother and more productive working relationship.
IBEDC said it remains dedicated to providing excellent electricity distribution services and ensuring customer satisfaction across its coverage areas.
The company promised to continue to seek innovative solutions and foster partnerships that would benefit its customers and the larger community.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Mozambique: Coral Sul FLNG Achieves 5 Million Tons Of LNG Production
Italian oil and gas giant Eni, which is the Delegated Operator of Area 4, on behalf of its partners namely ExxonMobil, CNPC, GALP, KOGAS and ENH, have celebrated the achievement of 5 million tons of LNG produced from the Coral Sul FLNG, located in the ultra-deep waters of the Rovuma Basin, offshore Mozambique.
This is a significant milestone for the project, and it represents not only a major technical and operational accomplishment, but also stands as a testament to the dedication, commitment, and collaboration of all the team and stakeholders.
The Coral Sul FLNG started production in October 2022 and has exported so far 70 cargos of LNG and 10 of Condensate, contributing significantly to the country´s economic growth.
Coral South is a landmark project for the industry, and it placed Mozambique among the global LNG producing countries, laying the foundation to a transformational change of Mozambique through development of gas resources, while also supporting a just and sustainable energy transition.
Marica Calabrese, Eni Rovuma Basin Managing Director, made the following remarks “We are truly proud to announce this very important milestone today.
“This accomplishment reinforces our commitment to delivering outstanding value to the country of Mozambique.
“We will continue to work with our partners and the Government of Mozambique to ensure a timely valorization of Mozambique’s vast gas resources with additional developments of gas projects.
“As we celebrate, we recognize the importance of remaining focused on safety, environment, and operational excellence.”
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
South Africa: Four Eskom Staff, Contractor Security Guard Arrested For Theft Of Heavy Fuel Oil At Camden Power Station
Four employees of Eskom, South Africa’s power utility company, and a contractor security guard have been arrested and charged for the theft of heavy fuel oil valued at R500 000(an equivalent of …. ) from the Camden Power Station.
The accused persons have been detained at the Ermelo Police Station under case number CAS 119/08/2024.
In a statement, Eskom said the initial arrests took place on Friday, 10th August 2024, at midnight, when two Eskom Weighbridge Operators were apprehended for their role in colluding to steal heavy fuel oil and defraud the company.
The company said further investigations on 16th August 2024, led to the arrest of two more Eskom employees, a Weighbridge Operator and a Control Room Operator as well as a contractor security guard.
All the accused persons have been remanded into police custody to reappear on 27th August 2024.
“Eskom is committed to safeguarding the security and integrity of its critical infrastructure.
“The ongoing collaboration between Eskom’s internal security investigations team and law enforcement agencies, coordinated by the National Energy Crisis Committee’s (NECOM) Safety and Security Priority Committee, is yielding positive results in our efforts to combat crime and corruption,” said Botse Sikhwitshi, Eskom’s Acting General Manager for Security.
“While the majority of our employees are hardworking and dedicated to enhancing Eskom’s performance, we are fully committed to eradicating corruption.
“The recent arrests are a positive step in our ongoing efforts to eliminate criminal activities within our organisation, reaffirming Eskom’s zero-tolerance approach to crime and corruption,” concluded Sikhwitshi.
Eskom urged the public to report any unlawful activities such as fraud, illegal electricity sales, theft of coal, fuel oil and crimes targeting critical infrastructure.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
USA: Oil Firm Halliburton Hit by Cyberattack
American oil and gas services firm, Halliburton, has been under cyberattack this week and is currently working to fix the problem, Reuters has reported, citing unnamed sources.
The cyberattack is said to have affected operations at the oilfield service major’s north Houston campus as well as some of its global connectivity networks.
“We are aware of an issue affecting certain company systems and are working diligently to assess the cause and potential impact. We have activated our pre-planned response plan and are working internally and with leading experts to remediate the issue,” a spokesman for the company said in a statement carried by Reuters.
The company has not confirmed or denied the issue it is experiencing as the result of a cyberattack.
Energy companies are an attractive target for cybercriminals because they operate strategic infrastructure. One such cyberattack took the Colonial Pipeline offline in May 2021.
The Colonial Pipeline is the biggest pipeline infrastructure in the United States, running 5,500 miles from Houston to Linden, New Jersey, carrying some 2.5 million barrels of gasoline and diesel daily.
The attack on Colonial led to panic along the East Coast, a run on gas stations, and a price jump until the owner and operator of the pipeline paid US$5 million in ransom to the cybercriminals.
“Critical infrastructure operators in the United States get to decide how well they do or do not employ cybersecurity controls,” Eric Noonan, CEO of cybersecurity company CyberSheath, told CNN in comments on the Halliburton report.
“This is a situation that cannot continue in perpetuity without enormous costs to the American people.”
Cybersecurity is garnering growing attention as the energy mix diversifies, too, since wind and solar infrastructure can be hacked, too, and so can EVs and EV chargers.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Ghana: Energy Commission Boss Adjudged Best Head Of Covered Entity By Internal Audit Agency
The Executive Secretary of the Energy Commission, Ing Oscar Amonoo-Neizer, has been adjudged as the Best Head of Covered Entity, the MDAs Category by the Internal Audit Agency at its 2024 Annual Conference and Awards held at the UPSA in Accra, the capital of Ghana, on 22nd August 2024.
This award is presented to the head of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies of government that provide sufficient logistics and build the capacity of the internal audit unit of the organization he or she heads. It also makes sure that the internal control system is effective.
In brief remarks before the presentation of the award, Dr Oduro Osae, Director General of the Internal Audit Agency (IAA), lauded the commitment of Ing Oscar Amonoo-Neizer towards the Internal Audit Unit at the Energy Commission.
He noted that the Executive Secretary attended all audit meetings, consulted the audit unit before any approval was given and virtually relied on the advice of the head of the internal audit unit.
He said this improved the internal control system at the Commission.
Commenting on the award, Ing Oscar Amonoo-Neizer told this portal: “This award means a lot. It shows that when one believes in a system…the system of transparency…the system that should render good accountability…the system that should be responsible for whatever money is given…supports the people to give their best.
This indeed helps us to be more efficient, make us more economical in whatever thing we have to spend on and this has impacted positively in our audit report.
If you see what our external auditors have done for the last few years, it has demonstrated very minimal infractions that occur at the Energy Commission.
“I desire that we will continue equipping and training internal auditors to be able to deliver their mandate because it is their work that makes us sit up. And that makes us do well.”
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Commenting on the award, Ing Oscar Amonoo-Neizer told this portal: “This award means a lot. It shows that when one believes in a system…the system of transparency…the system that should render good accountability…the system that should be responsible for whatever money is given…supports the people to give their best.
This indeed helps us to be more efficient, make us more economical in whatever thing we have to spend on and this has impacted positively in our audit report.
If you see what our external auditors have done for the last few years, it has demonstrated very minimal infractions that occur at the Energy Commission.
“I desire that we will continue equipping and training internal auditors to be able to deliver their mandate because it is their work that makes us sit up. And that makes us do well.”
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com Ghana: NPA Corrects Misleading Report That CRM Will Eliminate Cheating At Gas Refilling Stations
Ghana’s petroleum downstream regulator, National Petroleum Authority (NPA), has refuted a publication that misrepresented a statement made by its Head of Communications during a recent interview on an Accra-based radio station in Ghana’s capital.
The report, according to the NPA, erroneously suggested that Mr Mohammed Abdul-Kudus had claimed the Cylinder Recirculation Model Policy would eliminate cheating at LPG filling stations.
This supposed statement did not augur well with the LPG Marketing Companies Association since it [supposed statement by the NPA] suggested that they [LPG stations] cheat customers at the refilling stations.
A statement issued by the Corporate Affairs Directorate of the NPA clarified that during an interview on an Accra-based radio station, Mr Abdul-Kudus addressed customer concerns about the integrity of filled cylinders under the Cylinder Recirculation Model (CRM).
According to the regulator, Mr Abdul-Kudus sought to explain that the filling of the cylinders under the CRM was automated at the bottling plants and that customers were assured of the right quantity of LPG they would be paying for at the exchange points.
“He further assured that customers who are still doubtful will have access to scales at the exchange points to weigh their cylinders and verify the correct quantities,” the statement explained.
It added that the media house that conducted the interview carried the story on their online portal with the correct headline: ‘NPA allays fears of gas cheating under cylinder recirculation model’.
The NPA has since drawn the attention of the media house to the misrepresentation and the need for it to effect the correction to represent the explanation given by Mr Abdul-Kudus.
“The NPA is mindful of its regulatory mandate to be fair to all players in the country’s petroleum downstream industry and will, therefore, not pass any comments to antagonize or tarnish the reputation of any player.
“The Authority is also guided by its mandate to protect the interests of customers and attend to their concerns,” the statement concluded.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Kenya: Kenya Pipeline Is Not Part Of Entities To Be Privatised – Energy CS
Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Energy and Petroleum Opiyo Wandanyi has stated that Kenya Pipeline Company is not part of government entities that have been earmarked for disposal.
This comes as the government continues with its privatisation agenda targeted mainly at loss-making entities and those with duplicating roles, to tame wastage.
The move that will see up to 200 state enterprises reorganised, with some having private shareholders on boarded, gained momentum after President William Ruto signed into law the Privatisation Bill 2023, in October last year, after it was passed by the National Assembly in September.
Eleven key state corporations, which include the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC), Kenya Literature Bureau (KLB), National Oil Corporation of Kenya (NOCK) and Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC), were on the cards as of this year.
Others are Kenya Seed Company Limited (KSC), Mwea Rice Mills Ltd. (MRM), Western Kenya Rice Mills Limited, New Kenya Cooperative Creameries Limited, Numeric Machining Complex Limited (NMC), Vehicle Manufacturers Limited (KVM) and Rivatex East Africa Limited.
CS Wandayi on Wednesday however struck off KPC, which falls under his ministry from the list, dimming hopes of the private sector, which had started angling to grab a pie in the refined petroleum products handling company, which serves the Kenyan market and the region.
“The matter of restructuring public operations is in the domain of the public service (Public Service Commission) but having said that, I must emphasise and actually clarify that KPC is not on the table in terms of any plans for privatisation,” the Star quoted CS in a report.
Wandayi termed Kenya Pipeline as a strategic institution with “serious national security implications.”
KPC is wholly owned by the government with 99.9 per cent shareholding by the National Treasury and less than 0.1 per cent by the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum.
“It is an institution that the government will have to hold on to for the foreseeable future for its strategic positioning,” said Wandayi.
Cabinet has so far considered and approved the proposed selling off subsidiary business interests of the state’s shareholding in six listed companies.
The companies include East African Portland Cement Limited (25.3 per cent), Nairobi Securities Exchange (3.36 per cent), Housing Finance Company of Kenya Limited (2.41 per cent), Stanbic Holdings-formerly CfC Stanbic Bank Limited (1.1 per cent), Liberty Kenya Holdings-formerly CfC Insurance Holdings (0.9 per cent) and Eveready East Africa PLC (17.2 per cent).
In November last year, Ruto announced that the government was poised to privatise 35 state companies.
There will also be a major restructuring in agencies that have “serious governance issues” and supplication.
Some of the ministries with a high number of state agencies include agriculture, roads, transport and infrastructure, tourism, energy and petroleum, trade and industrialisation and sports, culture and heritage, which could face a major rationalisation.
A huge number of these entities have remained in losses or yielded low dividends for the government, forcing the exchequer to bail them out.
Kenya Pipeline Company is among few entities that pay dividends to the government, alongside the likes of Safaricom, KCB and KenGen, which have private shareholding.
In March this year, it announced an interim dividend payment of Sh5 billion to the National Treasury for the financial year ended June 2023.
The dividend payment followed a 21 per cent increment in KPC’s profitability to Sh7.6 billion in the financial year 2022-2023, compared to Sh6.3 billion the previous year.
Management and the board have since committed to deliver not less than Sh12.5 billion in the current financial year.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Iran Appoints New Oil Minister, Warns Reserves Are Limited
Iran has appointed a new oil minister, Mohsen Paknejad, following a vote of confidence in parliament on Wednesday, Azerbaijan’s Trend news agency reported.
Paknejad, an oil ministry veteran who previously held the position of deputy oil minister from 2018 to 2021, took the podium on Wednesday to bemoan the state of affairs in Iran’s oil industry.
The new oil minister called on Tehran to boost production, warning that fossil fuel reserves will remain limited over the next two decades, without significant development efforts.
As things stand now, Iran is expected to see its oil output rise by 400,000 barrels by the end of next year, according to Trend AZ.
Paknejad said the ministry would work to balance production and consumption to stabilize the industry.
In July, according to OPEC figures, Iran saw a month-on-month increase of 20% in crude oil production, hitting 3,271,000 barrels.
The country’s total fossil fuel reserves are set at 1.2 trillion barrels, according to Trend.
However, Iran needs help getting fossil fuels out of the ground, with the Azerbaijani news agency indicating that some 70% of its gas reserves remains trapped underground due to technological insufficiencies.
Iran has a total of 74 oilfields and 22 gas fields in operation.
While production and development remain an issue, sanctions continue to bite in terms of exports and revenues.
Iran, however, appears to have rounded up new buyers of its sanctioned crude, including Oman and Bangladesh, Reuters reports.
Iran’s oil production has been recently estimated to have hit its highest level since 2018 as Tehran looks to boost output and exports, and export revenues with these, despite the U.S. sanctions.
Last month, Iran’s Petroleum Minister Javad Owji claimed that Tehran is currently exporting its oil to as many as 17 countries.
Wasington is still considering ways of squeezing Iranian oil exports amid heightened Middle East tension following Tehran’s vow to avenge the death of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh on Iranian soil.
Source: Oilprice.com
PETRONAS Achieves First Gas Production From Kasawari Field Offshore Malaysia
PETRONAS recently commenced its first gas production at the Kasawari field, located in Block SK316, approximately 200 km offshore Malaysia, at an initial flow rate of 200 MMcfd.
Block SK316 is operated by PETRONAS Carigali Sdn Bhd (PETRONAS Carigali), which holds a 90% participating interest, while the remaining 10% is held by Exploration and Production Malaysia Venture (EPMV).
Discovered in 2011, the Kasawari field is a crucial feed source for both the PETRONAS LNG Complex in Bintulu and in addressing the increasing domestic demand for gas.
The field contains approximately 10 Tcf, with a gas sales rate of 545 MMcfd.
The Kasawari Gas Field Development (GFD) project includes a Central Processing Platform (CPP), a Flare Platform, and a Wellhead Platform (WHP), all interconnected to the CPP via bridges.
Gas from the Kasawari field is exported to a new riser platform at the E11 production hub through an 81 km carbon steel pipeline for further gas delivery to customers in Bintulu.
The fabrication works for the Kasawari platforms and bridges were carried out locally by Malaysia Marine & Heavy Engineering Holdings Berhad (MHB) in Pasir Gudang and Ocean Might Sdn Bhd (OMSB) in Kuching.
The CPP for the field is listed in the Malaysia Book of Records as the Heaviest Offshore Structure Platform, with a total weight of 53,893 metric tonnes (MT).
Malaysia Petroleum Management Senior Vice President Datuk Ir. Bacho Pilong said, “Kasawari is a testament to our local capabilities in executing large-scale projects.
This accomplishment, involving more than 450 local subcontractors and vendors, was achieved within 26.6 million man-hours.”
Source: worldoil.com
Ghana: What Bawumia’s Presidency Will Do For The Energy Sector If Elected
Ghana’s Vice President and flag-bearer of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has promised to do several things in both the petroleum and power sectors of Ghana if elected as President of Ghana in the upcoming general elections scheduled for December 7.
On pages 174, 175, 176, 177, 178, and 179 of the NPP’s 2024 Manifesto which was launched last Sunday, August 18, 2024, the party highlighted the achievements of the government in the energy sector for the past seven years and pledged to build on the successes chalked so far.
Below are the pledges as captured in the NPP Manifesto 2024
Under a Bawumia presidency, we will:
- address issues in the power sector, including inadequate infrastructure development, insufficient investment in renewable energy sources, aging power generation facilities, transmission and distribution losses, and inefficiencies in the supply chain, which contribute to persistent electricity shortages, unreliable service delivery, and high electricity tariffs
- address both upstream and downstream challenges in the petroleum sector, including issues relating to dwindling discoveries and explorations, increased costs at the pump, and
- providing leadership and investments in energy transition, local content, and cybersecurity preparedness of the energy sector
- incentivise solar power users through the net metering system under which households and other producers of solar power get “credits” for excess power they provide the national grid, against which they can use grid power when not on solar
- implement a significant shift in electricity tariffs structure to a regime in which commercial rates are either equal to, or lower than residential rates, never higher, to power industries and businesses
- develop a framework to allocate reliable and affordable power pricing to aid the development of the emerging lithium, and integrated iron, steel, aluminium and manganese industries
- introduce a framework to streamline the procurement of fuel for power generation. This framework will encourage Independent Power Producers (IPPs) to buy their own fuel to improve power security and efficiency, transfer financial risk and cost efficiency responsibilities to IPPs, foster market competition, allow the government to focus on core responsibilities, reduce the fiscal burden, enhance transparency and accountability, and attract investments into the sector
- introduce measures to accelerate national electrification to achieve a universal access by 2028
- introduce Private sector participation (PSP) into the retail power sector, to improve efficiency and customer satisfaction, especially in metering, billing, and collection
- institute governance requirements similar to those in highly regulated sectors like finance and banking, to ensure board members’ fiduciary responsibilities, and potential sanctions, are clearly spelt out
- strengthen regulatory oversight within the power sub- sector, and implement institutional rearrangements, including the merger of Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) and the Energy Commission (EC), to empower the regulatory body and promote consistency in regulatory policies and standards, and
- digitise the revenue platform that will apply Cash Waterfall Mechanism (CWM) sharing ratio at the point of all electricity tariff payment, to enhance liquidity within the electricity value chain, increase transparency and reduce indebtedness
- review the Petroleum Act, 2016 (Act 919) in the following areas:
- commit to simplifying approval processes for appraisals and production programmes, to reenergise upstream activities
- review and strengthen the Petroleum Revenue Management Act, to streamline government allocation of oil funds and address gaps in the law
- fully implement the Infrastructure-Led Exploration (ILX) strategy, to unlock the full potential of Ghana’s offshore reserves
- expand the Gold for Oil (G4O) Programme to increase its penetration of the oil market to further reduce the forex pressure on Bank of Ghana, and to further stabilise the prices of petroleum products New Patriotic Party (NPP)
- implement regulations that will improve the financial sustainability of the fuel supply chain in the downstream market, to minimise the credit system and improve liquidity for the procurement of petroleum products
- implement new policies to incentivise private sector participation in the petroleum and petrochemicals hub
- strengthen the regulatory capacity of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), to develop regulations to promote an export-oriented petroleum hub
- partner the private sector to build and maximise our gas processing infrastructure for power generation, ammonia for fertiliser, and gas to petrochemical liquids
- introduce policy that will encourage and facilitate International Oil Companies to partner local universities, to collaborate on Research and Development for our upstream activities, and
- implement regulations to guide Regulator-Operators’ relationships to minimise regulatory overreach close collaboration for industrial harmony
- review and strengthen local content laws to close the gaps and deepen the role of Ghanaians and Ghanaian companies in our upstream activities, including introducing measures to promote local capacity development, technology transfer, employment opportunities in the upstream sector, and
- introduce a dedicated National Ghanaian Content Fund, and National Data Acquisition Fund, to help Ghanaian enterprises enhance their competitiveness, and to effectively participate in the upstream sector
- roll out 2000 MW of solar power to diversify our energy mix, increase the use of our natural resources, and improve our energy security. This will be supported by:
- align the addition of new generation capacity with the Integrated Power System Master Plan (IPSMP), and the National
- develop a Biofuel value chain policy to include:
- incentivise the private sector to develop waste-to-energy projects which will also help in controlling and disposing of waste, reducing sanitation-associated health risks, and
- accelerate the work of the Ghana Nuclear Power Authority, with our developmental partners, in choosing a Vendor/ Strategic Partner to commence the next phase of our nuclear power development
- implement mandatory cybersecurity training for all employees within the Energy Sector, to ensure staff are equipped with the knowledge and skills to identify and mitigate cyber threats effectively, and
- introduce a cybersecurity compliance certification scheme for firms operating in the energy sector, which will require companies to meet specific cybersecurity standards and undergo regular audits to ensure compliance.
Ghana: Man Climbs Power Transmission Pylon To Commit Suicide
The timely intervention of fire officers and police personnel in the Ashaiman area prevented a 48-year-old man who had climbed a power transmission pylon from committing suicide at Adjei Kojo, a suburb of the West Tema Municipality.
The 48-year-old man, identified as Yehowa Nagbeh, climbed the 33kV transmission line ostensibly to commit suicide.
After being rescued from the top of the pylon, he told the officers that he was suffering from a kidney disease and finding it difficult to raise money to undergo treatment.
He said he first visited the Ashaiman Municipal Hospital but was referred to the Tema General Hospital.
“At Tema General Hospital, they also directed me to go to UGMC. I have walked for a while now, and I’m tired. I don’t know what to do. I decided to go there (UGMC), but they told me I wouldn’t be able to pay the bills,” he recounted in pain.
In a post on Facebook, the Ghana National Fire Service wrote: “At 0842 hours on Monday, August 19, 2024, a distress call was received, reporting a man trapped on a 33kV transmission line at Adjei Kojo near Ashaiman.
“A rescue team from the Motorway Fire Station, led by ADO II Enoch Bedu Essel, arrived at 0856 hours.
“The team, along with ECG staff and the Ghana Police, found 48-year-old Yehowa Nagbeh clinging to the pylon.
“After a 23-minute negotiation, the man was safely harnessed and lowered.
“This rescue highlighted the strong collaboration between agencies in the Tema Region.
“The police are working to reunite him with his family,” the post concluded.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com