Rosatom Speaks On Safety Of Nuclear Plants And Breakthroughs In Austria
The Director General of Russia’s state atomic corporation (Rosatom), Mr Alexey Likhachev, has held a meeting with the Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Mr. Rafael Grossi, on the sidelines of the 68th Regular Session of the IAEA General Conference in Vienna, Austria.
During the meeting, Alexey Likhachev and Rafael Grossi briefly reviewed the main issues of current and prospective co-operation between Russia and the IAEA, as well as industry-specific international events for the coming months.
In particular, events related to the topics of closing nuclear fuel cycle and small modular reactors, which the Rosatom Director General highlighted in detail in his speech at the General Conference, were touched on.
Speaking during a press conference, Alexey Likhachev highlighted the importance of creating the next fourth generation of nuclear power.
“We understand this as a comprehensive solution, including, of course, fast neutron reactors, appropriate fuel refabrication facilities that allow to recycle spent nuclear fuel between reactors of different types multiple times. This is, of course, work with spent nuclear fuel.
“All this allows us to talk about a completely new quality of nuclear power of the next generation.
“The Proryv (‘Breakthrough’) project that we are implementing in the Tomsk region in the city of Seversk is a real confirmation of how it is possible to return to the natural original principles of safety of nuclear facilities, make them very attractive from the point of view of ecology and economy, and actually expand the resource base of already explored fields to infinity and repeatedly use fuel that has already been extracted and undergone initial processing,” Alexey Likhachev noted.
The main focus, as in all recent negotiations, was on ensuring safety of nuclear facilities. Both sides consider this task as an absolute priority.
Alexey Likhachev and Rafael Grossi synchronised watches on the situation around the Zaporozhskaya NPP and the Kursk NPP.
It was confirmed that, despite the known accents in the positions of the parties, Russia and the IAEA Secretariat work on these issues in parallel modes.
Joint work in the context of maintaining the IAEA permanent presence at the ZNPP site will be continued.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
South Africa: Former Eskom Contractor Extradited From UK To South Africa On fraud Charges
A British businessman, who was a former contractor for South Africa’s ailing power utility Eskom, has been extradited from the UK to face charges of corruption and fraud.
Michael Lomas is accused of taking kickbacks on contracts between his firm, Tubular Construction, and Eskom for work at the Kusile power station, which were worth in excess of 1.5bn rand ($85m: £64m).
“He allegedly manipulated contracts. He was previously arrested, got bail and fled the country to the UK,” national police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe told AFP.
He has not yet commented on the allegations against him.
Eskom has been beset with corruption allegations and is struggling to recover from years of mismanagement that has led to prolonged blackouts in the country.
Mr Lomas landed at OR Tambo Airport in Johannesburg early on Friday morning. He was in a wheelchair and under heavy police escort.
Ms Mathe told local news website News24 that one of the conditions of the extradition was to have a medical doctor on the plane because of Mr Lomas’s poor health.
He is set to be formally charged at Kempton Park Magistrate’s Court later on Friday.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) requested Mr Lomas’s extradition in 2022, but it was delayed while he lodged an appeal, which was ultimately rejected.
He was accused alongside four other alleged co-conspirators – two senior executives at Eskom and two other businessmen. They were arrested in 2019.
The other four men have been charged with fraud, money laundering and corruption for allegedly taking kickbacks and inflating the cost of the work carried out at Kusile power station.
This was meant to help alleviate South Africa’s crippling electricity shortages but the project has been beset by delays and faults, according to AFP.
Mr Mathe said Mr Lomas was a “wanted fugitive” who would be handed over to the Hawks, the police unit that investigates economic crime, corruption and organised crime.
Hawks has been working on this case since 2017, when an employee placed a complaint about one of the tenders.
Source: BBC
Egypt: Govt Announces End To Year-Long Load Shedding Programme
Egypt has ended a year-long load shedding programme which started way back in July 2023, this portal can confirm.
The one-year load shedding affected businesses and households, with some finding alternative means to keep their businesses running.
Electricity consumption in Egypt saw an unprecedented rise due to the consequent heatwaves across the country.
In July, this year, daily consumption rate exceeded 37.5 gigawatts, up by more than 12 per cent compared to the previous year.
However, addressing a press conference on Thursday, Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly told the nation that power outages would not reoccur as the necessary shipments had been secured to ensure uninterrupted supply.
Madbouly said government had allocated LE 7 billion to the Ministry of Electricity to ensure the implementation of energy projects.
He mentioned the prosecution of around 513,771 electricity theft cases, saying: “If half of these thefts did not exist, there would be no [electricity supply] problems again.”
Madbouly said Egypt would be able to restore normal gas production rate from the Zohr field as before the global economic crisis before the end of June.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Ghana Elected To IAEA Board Of Governors
The Republic of Ghana and ten other countries including Morocco and Egypt, have been elected to serve on the 35-member International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors for the 2024–2025 period.
The election happened on Thursday, 19th September, at the plenary session of the 68th IAEA General Conference in Vienna, Austria.
The newly-elected Board members are Argentina, Colombia, Egypt, Italy, Luxembourg, Georgia, Ghana, Morocco, Pakistan, Thailand and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.
For the 2024-2025 period, the new composition of the 35-member IAEA Board will be Algeria, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Canada, China, Colombia, Ecuador, Egypt, France, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Luxembourg, Morocco, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Pakistan, Paraguay, the Russian Federation, South Africa, Spain, Thailand, Ukraine, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the United States of America and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.
The Board of Governors is one of the two policy-making bodies of the IAEA, along with the annual General Conference of IAEA Member States.
The Board will meet on Monday, 23 September, to elect its officers.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Morocco Elected To IAEA Board Of Governors
Morocco has been elected to the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for the 2024-2026 term, during the 68th regular session of the IAEA General Conference in Vienna.
The Kingdom’s election by acclamation to the IAEA’s key decision-making body, representing Africa, reflects the international community’s trust in Morocco as a nation committed to peace, dialogue, and consensus in multilateral for a, under the leadership of HM King Mohammed VI.
Morocco’s Permanent Representative to the International Organizations in Vienna, Ambassador Azzeddine Farhane, highlighted Morocco’s dedication to South-South cooperation, which is central to its foreign policy, particularly in supporting African nations.
Morocco, which chaired the IAEA General Conference in 2020, will focus on promoting dialogue and consensus-building to strengthen multilateralism and advance nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation during its tenure.
The Kingdom also aims to enhance the IAEA’s technical cooperation, especially in helping African nations use nuclear technology for peaceful purposes in areas like water, agriculture, health, and the environment.
The 35-member Board of Governors is one of the two executive bodies of the IAEA, alongside the General Conference, tasked with overseeing the agency’s operations and policy decisions.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Nigeria: TCN Unveils $56Million SCADA System
The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has taken a significant step towards automating the national grid’s management and control with the successful demonstration of its new Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system.
This historic demo was held on Wednesday September 18th, 2024 at the soon-to-be completed National Control Centre, Gwagwalada, Abuja.
Speaking at the event, the Honourable Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, who was represented by the Acting Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Engr. Dr. Emmanuel Nosike said that the SCADA system will enable real-time monitoring and control, crucial for effective national grid management.
Adelabu urged all stakeholders in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) to embrace the opportunities the SCADA system offers to improve their operational capabilities and service delivery to Nigerians.
On his part, the MD/CEO of TCN, Engr. Sule Ahmed Abdulaziz, expressed excitement that the project is finally becoming a reality after several failed attempts. He revealed that the project, currently 69% complete, will be fully implemented by mid-next year.
He emphasized that, the SCADA system, designed to enhance grid stability, reduce power outages, and improve energy efficiency, is a technology that will allow TCN to monitor the entire electricity network from a central location, ensuring prompt responses to outages and efficient load management.
The $56m World Bank funded project is part of TCN’s broader digital transformation strategy, which includes upgrading existing systems and leveraging new technologies to improve efficiency and effectiveness.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com Egypt, UK To Expand Collaboration In Renewable Energy Sector
Globeleq, a UK-based energy projects developer is set to collaborate with the Egyptian government to establish a substantial project for green hydrogen production, aiming to diversify its investments within Egypt’s renewable energy sector.
This initiative was unveiled in a statement released by the Ministry of Investments and Foreign Trade.
During a meeting in London with the Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade, Hassan El-Khatib and representatives from British renewable energy firms, Globeleq expressed its intentions to broaden investments in wind energy generation and the development of water desalination plants powered by renewable sources.
The discussions delved into projects geared towards diminishing reliance on imported liquefied gas to curtail the import expenditure.
Additionally, Globeleq articulated its interest in proposing ventures for sustainable transportation utilizing clean energy solutions in Egypt.
Moreover, Minister El-Khatib engaged with Oge Diala, the Founder of the British company PASH Global, renowned for its endeavors in renewable energy.
Their dialogue revolved around PASH Global’s ambition to establish solar panel manufacturing facilities in Egypt, with the overarching goal of positioning Egypt as a pivotal hub for solar energy on regional and international fronts.
Noteworthy is PASH Global’s prior memorandum of understanding with the General Authority for the Suez Canal Economic Zone, amounting to £2 billion, underscoring their commitment to advancing Egypt’s renewable energy landscape.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Zambia: Security Agencies Stop Smuggling Of More Than 33,000 Litres Of Gasoline To Zambia
Angola’s Criminal Investigation Service (SIC), in cooperation with the other bodies of the Interior Ministry, thwarted the smuggling of 33,750 liters of gasoline from Cuando Cubango province to the Republic of Zambia.
Addressing a press conference on Monday, Chief Superintendent Novais Eduardo Chissesso, Deputy Director of the SIC in Cuando Cubango, said that the operation took place in the last 48 hours, explaining that the product was transported in 135 containers, with 250 liters each, coming from the municipality of Menongue, the capital of the province.
He stated that the criminals, in addition to presenting dubious documents, the quantity of the product transported constituted the crime of smuggling under the terms of Law 5/24 of 23 August, Law to combat the smuggling of petroleum products.
While detailing the criminals’ plan, the official explained that being in the municipality of Rivungo, the product would be placed in smaller containers, such as 1/20 and 1/25 liter containers, in order to facilitate accommodation in small shipments and cross the Cuando River from the port river in the municipality.
Once this procedure, the product would be in Zambia’s territorial space within an estimated time of fifteen minutes with the use of high-displacement trucks which facilitate movement and take unconventional routes.
This is the second case of seizure of petroleum products in large quantities this year in the Cuando Cubango province.
The first case involved 15,250 liters seized in March in the same region.
The operation culminated in the arrest of six national citizens.
ANGOP found that five liters of gasoline can be sold at the price of 500 Kwatchas, Zambian currency, equivalent to 20,000 kwanzas, if converted into the Angolan currency.
After all the calculations, the illicit fuel business in that country would have a revenue of 675 million kwanzas.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Ghana: Sack ECG’s Top Management As Soon As Possible—ACEP Demands
The African Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP), a civil society group in the Republic of Ghana, is demanding an immediate dismissal of the top management of the power distribution firm, Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), over alleged mismanagement which, the group says is crippling the entire power sector.
Addressing a press conference a while ago on Thursday, Kotso Yaotse, Policy Lead Petroleum and Conventional Energy at ACEP, accused the ECG management of signing a dubious contract with Hubtel, a digital services provider for their revenue collection.
The ECG management members are Samuel Dubik Mansubir Mahama,(the Managing Director), David Boadi Asamoah, Samuel Tagoe, Eric Ansah Antwi, Yaw Frimpong, Ing. Jackline A. Ofori -Atta, Cynthia Amartey, Ing. George Hommey and Leonard N.L Lamptey Esq.
“The current management of ECG should be relieved of the jobs and immediately be replaced with effective and transparent management that would salvage the company and its attendant fiscal burden on the state,” he demanded.
According to him, the ECG is supposed to be collecting over Gh¢2 billion in revenues, however, it is collecting over Gh¢800 million.
He said despite this abysmal revenue performance, the power distribution company has been failing to properly account for the limited revenue it collects.
Kodzo Yaotse noted that after the ECG refused to comply with a directive by the PURC and President Akufo-Addo to create a single account for the collection of its revenue, it then outsourced the development and maintenance of its payment system to Hubtel.
According to him, the contract the ECG had with Hubtel lacks transparency.
“According to a contract received from the ECG, the total cost for the design and development of the platform is about GH¢171.8 million.
Between November 2022 and December 2023, the cumulative service charge was over GH¢100 million.
In addition, Hubtel will be paid 0.95% of all revenues collected as service charges. At the time of contract execution, GH¢75 million had been paid to Hubtel on the framework cost.
This information in the contract contradicts information Hubtel has communicated on its proceeds from the agreement. On March 28, 2024, eight days after the contract was executed, Hubtel published the cost of developing the payment system at US$25 million (GH¢315 million), of which US$12 million (GH¢151 million) had been paid.
“The contract gives Hubtel control over all revenues collected until such a time it is disbursed to the ECG. The contract also creates a fund designed to receive an undetermined portion of revenues collected before the balance is disbursed to the ECG.
This retention of unspecified amounts from all revenues collected undermines the requirements of the cash waterfall mechanism and efforts under the IMF programme to bring visibility to the ECG’s total revenues,” he said.
Kodzo Yaotse also noted that in many instances, the exchange rate reported by the ECG to the cash waterfall committee was significantly higher than the interbank exchange rate.
“This exchange rate manipulation created a net exchange loss of about GH¢6.5 billion in 2022 (from GH¢609 million in 2021) and about GH¢7 billion in 2023. ACEP, through the RTI process, requested historical exchange rates used by ECG for its transactions. The company has since May 2024 not been able to supply our request.”
He warned that the growing fiscal burden imposed on the economy by the ECG’s poor performance has become a ticking time bomb that can undermine the progress made after the domestic and international debt restructuring to keep Ghana solvent.
“With the level of debt accumulation and the intervention required of the state, it is just a matter of time before Ghana is plunged into another debt crisis,” he noted.
He urged the PURC to assume its regulatory functions over the ECG
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Ghana: Ghanaian OMCs Pay Better Salaries Than Foreign-owned Companies–CEMSE Report Reveals
The Center for Environmental Management and Sustainable Energy (CEMSE), an advocacy group in the Republic of Ghana, has revealed that Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) with dealer-owned, mostly foreign filling stations, poorly pay their fuel attendants with salaries ranging from GH₵600 to GH₵1,200 per month.
However, locally-owned OMCs have salaries ranging from GH₵1,250 to GH₵2,000 per month.
OMCs like Star Oil, Zen Petroleum and Dessert Oil were found to pay their workers better compared to the others.
The study also showed that some OMCs do not pay Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) contributions for their staff.
Contrary to expectations, the surge in sales volumes of the industry was anticipated to improve the welfare of the employees within the end of the value chain of petroleum distribution and marketing but the result is the opposite.
The International Labour Organisation defines decent work as employment that offers equitable income, job security, social protection, bargaining power, workplace equality among employees and better prospects for personal development and integration.
According to the CEMSE, most OMCs in Ghana do not provide decent work for their fuel attendants.
The Executive Director for CEMSE, Benjamin Nsiah, observed the situation is unfair and must be corrected.
“Looking at the hazardous environment within which these employees operate, if they are paid between GH₵600 and GH₵1,200 with no medical allowances and insurance policies to cover them and their family in times of need, then it is grossly unfair.”
The study further showed that most of the employees of OMCs work between eight to sixteen hours daily, implying that some fuel attendants work over sixty hours a week, which is against the ILO’s standardised working hours of 48 hours per week.
“Employees who work overtime are expected to get some overtime bonuses but most OMCs do not pay overtime bonuses to these workers. It must be noted that some few OMCs that fully own and operate their filling stations pay between GH₵1,500 and GH₵2,000 per month with bonuses of GH₵200 per month,” the study uncovered.
The study also found that the low salary received by fuel attendants ultimately affects their work performance and output.
The CEMSE’s review of the OMCs’ performance report in the last three years has observed that OMCs that pay their employees well, between GH₵1,500 and GH₵2,000 per month are contracting the market shares of OMCs that do not pay their employees well.
“The latter’s market performance is observed to be dwindling because some of their employees engage in unfriendly market practices that drive away consumers, and this is so because of lower salaries received monthly to survive in a highly cost-inflated Accra,” the study revealed.
Another reason for the poor performance of low-wage paying OMCs is because of lack of attraction of experienced and honest fuel attendants.
“This disparity highlights that dealer-operated OMCs tend to offer lower wages compared to those without dealers, a situation that needs addressing within the industry,” the study concluded.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Italy Shuts The Door On New Oil Exploration
Italy will no longer grant concessions for oil and condensate exploration and production, a draft of a new government decree shows.
The decree, seen by Reuters, specifies that the oil exploration and production ban will only apply to new concessions—not existing ones that have already secured government approval.
The ban is part of Italy’s green ambitions, which include abandoning coal-fired electricity by the end of 2025 in favor of gas-fired power plants.
To that end, Italy approved four new gas-fired power plants in the past few years, capable of producing 3,400 MW of power, with upgrades to existing power plants expected to add another 700 MW by 2026 as the country attempts to move entirely away from Russian-supplied natural gas.
Oil exploration and production in Italy is regulated primarily through state legislation, with operators holding no title to exploration and production areas.
The Italian government is due a 10% royalty for onshore oil production and 7% for offshore.
While taking a step back from oil and gas exploration and production, Italy’s Central Bank, is pushing for developed economies with higher per-capital emissions to help developing economies transition away from fossil fuels in hopes of accelerating the clean energy rollout.
The call to assist, made by bank governor Fabio Panetta at the G7 – IEA Ensuring an Orderly Energy Transition conference in Rome, would help to reduce the overall cost of the energy transition globally, Panetta said.
But last week, Italy’s power utility Enel scrapped its plans to participate in the energy transition of Vietnam, deciding to exit the country’s wind and solar markets, which have been categorized by a rather complicated grid connection mechanism that has prompted even a transition-eager Italy is unwilling to tackle.
Source: Oilprice.com
Ghana Nominates Wisdom Ahiataku -Togobo To Compete For International Solar Alliance Director- General Post
The Republic of Ghana has nominated Mr Wisdom Ahiataku-Togobo, a former Director for Renewable Energy at the Ministry of Energy and Bui Power Authority (BPA), to compete for the position of Director-General of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) headquartered in Delhi, India.
The nomination followed a request by the President of International Solar Alliance, asking Ghana to nominate someone for the position of Director-General of the Alliance.
The request was passed through Ghana’s Ministry of Foriegn Affairs and Regional Integration.
The Republic of Ghana, upon careful thought based on his experience in the renewable energy industry, nominated Mr Wisdom Ahiataku-Togobo to represent Ghana and compete for the position.
Wizzie, as he is affectionately called has over 30 years in the renewable energy sector.
He pioneered most of the renewable energy deployment in Ghana including the largest floating solar facility in Africa.
He was very instrumental in the development of renewable energy policies, plans and regulations in Ghana.
He delivered speeches on Renewable Energy at international events.
In a related development, Mr Wisdom Ahiataku -Togobo has also been nominated for two awards at the upcoming Ghana Energy Awards scheduled for October 2024.
The International Solar Alliance (ISA) aims to promote solar energy globally, especially in sunny countries.
Founded in 2015 by India and France, ISA: enhances international cooperation to promote solar energy, supports countries in developing solar infrastructure, facilitates technology transfer and knowledge sharing, mobilises funding for solar projects and promotes sustainable development and climate change mitigation.
ISA’s objectives align with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Nigeria: TCN To Shut Down Effurun And Delta Transmission Substations For Maintenance
The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has announced that it will shut down its 132/33kV transmission substations in Effurun and Delta, Delta State, on September 19, 2024, for maintenance.
A statement issued by Ndidi Mbah, General Manager Public Affairs at TCN, said the scheduled preventive maintenance at the 132/33kV 60MVA transformer at the Effurun Substation would take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Consequently, there will be power interruption affecting Benin DisCo customers in ENERHEN, SAPELE, EFFURUN, PTI, and ENVIRONS.
Similarly, the maintenance work on the Delta Substation will commence from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., allowing TCN’s linesmen to treat a hotspot on the blue phase down dropper to the Delta/Effurun 132kV Line isolator.
“This will result in a four-hour power interruption for Benin DisCo customers in REFINERY 1, REFINERY 2, EFFURUN, WARRI, ENERHEN, PTI, SAPELE, and ENVIRONS,” the statement said.
According to the statement, the power interruption is necessary to create a safe working environment for the maintenance crew.
“Power supply will be restored immediately after the maintenance crew completes the work,” the statement concluded.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Ghana: BEST, GNPC, VRA Named Among 10 Best Performing SOEs In 2023
Three state-owned entities in the power and petroleum sectors of Ghana made it to the top 10 best performing Public Enterprises League Table (PELT) in 2023.
The Volta River Authority (VRA) scored 4.098 points to place fifth position; Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) scored 4.080 to place 6th position, while Bulk Energy Storage and Transportation Company (BEST), formerly BOST, scored 4.067 to place 7th position.
The PELT Awards, held at Rock City Hotel at Kwahu in the Eastern Region, saw the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) scoring 4.335 to emerge as the overall Best Performing State-Owned Entity in 2023, followed by the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) which scored 4.247 to place second.
The PELT Awards, an innovation of the Minister of Public Enterprises, Hon. Joseph Cudjoe, seeks to introduce a carrot and stick approach in the management of Specified Entities, where outstanding entities are rewarded, while their underperforming contemporaries are rightfully sanctioned.
It was instituted in 2022 with the aim of fostering competition among public enterprises to enhance performance.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com