Ghana’s power distribution company responsible for electricity supply in the southern sector, ECG, has served notice to Ghanaians to expect power outages across its operational areas between 7 pm and 11 pm daily.
ECG explained that, so far, 630 distribution transformers within communities across its operational areas have been identified to be full due to increased power demand.
“This situation may result in blown fuses and broken conductors causing outages, especially during the peak load period (7 pm—11 pm).
“However, we wish to assure our customers that transformer upgrading and new projects are ongoing to relieve these transformers to ensure a more reliable power supply,” ECG said in a statement issued on Monday, March 11, 2024.
The power distributor advised customers within the under-listed communities/localities to report any localised outage or voltage fluctuations to the ECG Call Center at 0302-611611 (also available on WhatsApp) or reach them on their social media handles via ECGghOfficial (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram) for prompt rectification.
The statement did not indicate when these outages were going to end.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
A South African farmer in the Free State region of Steunmekaar and Petrusburg has been slapped with a hefty sentence, which include a payment to Eskom for losses suffered worth R1.58 million in addition to a five-year jail sentence.
The Bloemfontein Regional Court sentenced Jan Albert van der Merwe (46) on Friday, 8 March.
Van der Merwe faced 17 charges against him, including contravention of the Criminal Matters Amendment Act relating to damage to essential infrastructure and theft in meter tampering.
Van der Merwe’s conviction and sentencing followed the outcomes of the investigations by Eskom and the Bloemfontein Hawks’ Crime Investigation team.
The power supplier reported the matter to the Hawks upon finding wrongdoing by the farmer.
Lt Col. Zweli Mohobeleli, provincial spokesperson of the Hawks, said Van der Merwe was ordered to immediately pay R50 000 to the power supplier and pay calculated losses worth R1.58 million by 10 March.
He said the five-year sentence was suspended for the same period under the condition that Van der Merwe is not found guilty of a similar crime.
Mohobeleli said an Eskom audit revealed the entity suffered losses worth R1.9 million due to tampering with electricity meters on several premises and illegal connections.
“The convicted electricity thief was found to have tampered with an electricity box to his farm between 2017 and 2019. This he did to evade or reduce his electricity bill,” said Mohobeleli.
Eskom investigators immediately started probing the matter, discovering tampered meters and illegal connections made by Van der Merwe.
Through his legal representative, Elna de Jager, Van der Merwe entered a plea with the state. The basis plea by Van der Merwe was that the Covid-19 pandemic made it impossible to sustain his family and 150 employees, in addition to the devastating death of his father in 2011.
He initially accepted his wrongdoing and paid an amount of R800 000 for his misdeeds. In terms of section 103 (1)(h), the Firearms Control Act, Van der Merwe was not found unfit to possess a firearm.
Brig. Sophie Hange, acting provincial head of the Hawks, has applauded the investigators for a thorough job that resulted in this outcome.
Source: News24
Tullow Oil plc will inject IS$160 million in capital spending in its Ghana operations in 2024, the company said in its 2023 full-year report.
The company intend to also spend US$60 million on non-operated portfolio, US$10 million in Kenya and US$20 million in exploration.
In all, Tullow hopes to spend US$250 million in capital expenditure for the year 2024.
The African focus independent firm has planned decommissioning spending of US$50 million for the UK and Mauritania and a US$20 million provision for Ghana and Gabon.
Tullow expects to generate more than US$600 million in free cash flow in 2024 and 2025.
Tullow also reiterated its guidance for US$200-300 million of free cash flow this year at the US$80 a barrel level for crude, largely driven by the timing of revenue receipts for 18 to 19 cargoes lifted in Ghana during the year.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Nigeria-based Mainstream Energy Solutions Limited, through its Mainstream Academy, in collaboration with the North-East Development Commission (NEDC), has trained fifty people in an intensive Technical Development Programme.
The training empowered the participants with the required skills set to fill the manpower gaps in the power sector.
In a statement issued by Mainstream Energy Solutions, it explained that forty-six of the trainees had National Diploma- ND in Electrical Engineering while four had National Certificate of Education in Electrical Technology.
To prepare the beneficiaries with work experiences, the release noted that thirty of them were posted to various business units of Yola Electricity Distribution Company.
It also stated that the purpose for training the beneficiaries was to use them to help to rehabilitate the YEDC which is geared towards improving the quality of electricity in the four states of the North-East in the Adamawa, Borno, Taraba and Yobe service areas.
The company further expressed hope that partnerships between Mainstream Energy Solutions Limited and the North-East Development Commission would address the human capital development challenges of the area, as well as helping to fix the problems in the area of skills gap in the power sector.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
The Deputy Chief Executive of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), Mrs Linda Asante, on Friday, March 8, 2024, joined Petrosol Women Network to mark this year’s International Women’s Day.
She was the Special Guest at Petrosol’s Women in Leadership Conference held in Accra on the theme: ‘Investing in Women; Energising for the Future’.
In her remarks, Mrs. Asante commended Ghanaian women for their hard work and inestimable contribution to the social, cultural, political and economic development of the country.
She also applauded individuals and organisations that are making significant investments in women’s empowerment and the fight for gender equality.
While encouraging women to show more dynamism and forthrightness in all sectors of their national life particularly in male-dominated sectors such as the oil and gas industry, Mrs Linda Asante called on all stakeholders to take collective action and demonstrate shared ownership in a quest to drive gender parity.
Mrs Ivy Apea Owusu, CEO, Cirrus Oil Services Ltd (left), Mrs. Linda Asante (2nd left) and Dr Stella Agyenim-Boateng, Vice Chairperson of the Public Services Commission in a group photograph with the CEO of Petrosol Ghana Limited Michael Bozumbil after the event.
International Women’s Day is a day set aside by the United Nations to celebrate women’s achievements, raise awareness in the fight against discrimination and gender stereotyping, and take positive action to promote inclusion and gender parity.
Some distinguished personalities who attended the 2024 Women in Leadership Conference by the Petrosol Women Network included Dr Stella Agyenim-Boateng, Vice Chairperson of the Public Services Commission; Israel Laryea, ace broadcaster; Mrs Ivy Apea Owusu, CEO, Cirrus Oil Services Ltd; Dr Gillian Hammah, Founder, Fairbanks Consulting; and Fatoumata Doro, Managing Director, Tex Styles Ghana Ltd.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) is urging the security agencies and host communities to collaborate in apprehending people involved in vandalising their electrical infrastructure.
The appeal follows the vandalism of the Shiroro-Katampe 330kV transmission on Sunday, March 10, 2024.
A statement issued by Ndidi Mbah, General Manager for Public Affairs at TCN, said at approximately 9am on Sunday, the Shiroro-Katampe transmission tripped.
She added that after an unsuccessful attempt to restore operation, efforts were made to identify the fault location only to discover that Towers 244 and 245 had been vandalised and the conductors stolen.
Ndidi Mbah said that was the fifth time between February and March this year that vandalism had occurred on the transmission line.
“This incident adds to a series of vandalism incidents recorded by TCN in February 2024, including the destruction of Tower 70 along the Gwagwalade-Katampe transmission line on February 26, 2024. Other incidents include the vandalism of towers 377 and 378 along the Gombe-Damaturu 330kV transmission line on February 23, 2024, and the attack on towers 145 to 149 and 201 to 218 along the Owerri-Ahoda 132kV transmission line on February 15, 2024. Additionally, on February 1, 2024, Tower number 388 along the Jos-Bauchi 132kV single circuit transmission line collapsed due to vandalism.
“These acts of sabotage are unacceptable, and TCN urges relevant security agencies and host communities to collaborate in apprehending the perpetrators,” she entreated.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
A transmission substation belonging to the Nigeria Transmission Company (TCN), in Kano engulfed in fire on Sunday, March 10, 2024.
The Dan’Agundi Power Transmission Station which is a critical electricity supply hub for Kano city, according to NTA, broke the unfortunate incident which occurred at about 5 pm.
According to report, the unfortunate incident resulted in power outages, thus, affecting areas surrounding the transmission station in the Kano State capital.
The Kano State Fire Service was called and report said they were actively engaged in battling the inferno.
There have been no reported casualties from the incident or injury as of the time of this report.
The cause of the fire and the extent of the damage to the transmission stature too, are not known.
Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO) and TCN are yet to comment on the issue.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
The Ashaiman District of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) discovered a total of one hundred and thirty illegal connections within its operational area over three days.
The discoveries, which were part of a revenue mobilisation project the District was embarking on, started on Monday, 4th March 2024.
Speaking on the progress of the exercise to the media on the morning of Friday, March 8, 2024, before the start of the fieldwork, the District Manager for Ashaiman, Ing Kissi Ohenebeng said his outfit had issued summons to people involved in the illegal act,7 stating that some started reporting to the office from Tuesday to rectify the issues identified.
He added that over the three days that the project had been ongoing, his outfit, with support from several staff from eight other districts, as well as the regional office of the Tema Region of the company, had been able to visit over 5,000 customers.
Ing Ohenebeng, when asked about possible prosecution of those caught with illegal connections, indicated that “indeed should customers default in payments, the Company is always ready to explore the possibility of addressing the situation at the court.”
He added that “illegal connection is stealing, which makes it a criminal offence. He admonished customers to desist from such acts as the consequences could be unpleasant.”
The Ashaiman District of the ECG is under the Tema Region, which also has Tema North, Tema South, Afienya, Prampram, Ada, Nungua, and Juapong-Krobo Districts.
Staff were deployed from all over the Region to the Ashaiman District to support this special revenue mobilisation exercise.
The Acting General Manager of the ECG Tema Region, Ing Daniel Asare-Mensah, on his part, encouraged customers to “be ready to pay for power consumed and to pay on time to avoid debt build-up.”
Ing Asare-Mensah indicated that the Ashaiman exercise ended Friday, 8th March 2024, while a similar project with support from the Region’s workforce would be replicated in the other districts.
He also indicated that the Afienya and Prampram Districts would be the next to run such special revenue mobilisation exercises.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
The Ghana Grid Company (GRIDCo) has assured residents of Bogoso and surrounding towns in the Western North Region that their engineers are working seriously to restore power supply to the area.
In a statement issued on Friday, March 8, 2024, the power transmitter said a transformer at the Bogoso substation tripped on Thursday 7th March 2024, thus, causing power supply challenges in the area.
“Gridco apologises for the inconvenience caused and assures the residents of Bogoso that efforts are being made to restore power to the township,” the statement concluded.
Source:https://energynewsafrica.com
President of the Gambia H.E Adama Barrow will be joined by top officials of the country and some diplomatic mission heads and The Gambia people to inaugurate the country’s 23MW peak solar project located in Jambur, Kombo South District, West Coast Region on Saturday March 9, 2024.
The project, which was funded by the World Bank, European Investment Bank and the European Union is expected to expand electricity access to The Gambians, create jobs and spur economic growth.
Commenting on the project ahead of the official inauguration, President Adama Barrow said the Jambur solar plant is a symbol of commitment to cleaner, brighter future for The Gambia.
“The significant project made possible through the collaboration of the European Union Investment Bank (EIB), European Union, World Bank and NAWEC under GERMP, represents a major step forward in diversifying The Gambia’s energy mix and reducing dependence on fossil fuels,” a statement issued by National Water and Electricity Company said.
In an exclusive interview with Michael Creg Afful, editor of energynewsafrica.com, in Cape Town, South Africa, during the African Energy Week 2023, Nani Juwara, the Managing Director of NAWEC, said the project is the first of its kind in The Gambia and would be connected to the national grid.
The Gambian Government, he explained, is also working with the West Africa Power Pool to develop a 150MW solar plant project in the country.
“So we are currently working on the first phase of the project which is going to be 50MW,” he noted.
He affirmed that studies had already been completed, adding that tender documents had also been done and waiting for the r procurement process, which is also expected to be done before the end of this year.
Should the project start as stated, Nani Juwara observed that it could be launched before the end of 2024.
Touching on the access to electricity in The Gambia, he said currently, about 60 per cent of the population has access to power while a chunk of the rural folks do not have it.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Italian oil and gas giant, Eni, has announced a major discovery of oil and gas in the CI-205, offshore the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire.
The discovery, named Calao, stands as the second largest in the West African nation, following the Baleine field discovered by Eni in September 2022.
In a statement issued by Eni on Thursday, March 7, 2024, it said the Calao discovery was greeted as a significant one.
The statement said the President of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire Alassane Ouattara and the Chief Executive officer of Eni, Claudio Descalzi, already met in Abidjan to discuss the company’s activities in the country, including the successful results of the exploration well Murene 1X on the discovery named Calao.
The statement said the Prime Minister, Robert Beugré Mambé, and the Minister for Mines, Petroleum and Energy, Mamadou Sangafowa- Coulibaly also participated in the meeting.
“Drilling operations took place approximately 45 kilometres off the coast in block CI-205, reaching a depth of 5,000 meters in water depths of around 2,200 meters.
“The well-encountered light oil, gas and condensates in various intervals of the Cenomanian age characterized by good to excellent permeability values.
“Preliminary assessments indicate potential resources ranging between 1 and 1.5 billion barrels of oil equivalent,” the statement said.
Eni operates the block in partnership with Petroci Holding.
President Ouattara and Mr Descalzi discussed the appraisal and development plans for the discovery, including Eni’s commitment to meeting the country’s domestic needs.
Eni has been operating in Côte d’Ivoire since 2015.
In addition to blocking CI-205, Eni holds participating interests in five other blocks in Ivorian deep waters: CI-101, CI-401, CI-501, CI-801, and CI-802, all in partnership with Petroci Holding.
Presently, Eni has an equity production of hydrocarbons totalling approximately 22,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day from the Baleine field, which started production in August 2023.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Nigerian President Bola Tinubu has indefinitely suspended the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Rural Electrification Agency, Ahmad Salihijo, alongside three executive directors of the agency, from office.
In a statement signed by the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, the State House revealed in a statement that the decision followed “new findings unearthed during a comprehensive investigation into the financial activities of the Rural Electrification Agency.”
Aside from Salihijo, the President has also suspended the Executive Director, Corporate Services, Olaniyi Netufo; Executive Director, Technical Services, Barka Sajou, and Executive Director, Rural Electrification Fund, Sa’adatu Balgore.
Also, Tinubu has ordered a wider investigation into the conduct of the officials in “a fraudulent mis-expenditure amounting to over N1.2bn over the past two years, some of which has already been recovered by anti-graft agencies,” Ngelale revealed.
Consequently, the President has appointed a new management team of the agency who will serve in acting capacity with immediate effect.
They include: Abba Aliyu as Managing Director/CEO, Ayoade Gboyega as Executive Director, Corporate Services, Umar Umar as Executive Director, Technical Services, Doris Uboh as Executive Director, Rural Electrification Fund and Olufemi Akinyelure as Head of Project Management Unit, Nigeria Electrification Project.
The President “expects all appointees in his administration to uphold the highest standards of transparency and accountability in the discharge of their duties and reiterates his determination to elevate the yearnings of Nigerians for good governance and qualitative service delivery above the narrow interests of individuals who are entrusted to provide critical services to the Nigerian people,” the statement concluded.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
A veteran journalist and Board Chairman of Ghana’s power transmission company, GRIDCo, Ambassador Kabral Blay-Amihere, has urged journalists who report on Ghana’s energy to seek knowledge and understanding about the operations of the energy sector in order to churn out accurate reportage.
He said understanding the operations of the energy sector better begins with knowing the history of electricity in Ghana, including the laws that regulate the sector.
“A well-informed and educated media will not fall prey to the politicisation of electricity. We have this kind of media; they will set the agenda, educate the public about the real situation as Bob Marley will put it,” he added.
Ambassador Blay-Amihere, who was delivering a keynote speech at a media training organised by Energy News Africa on February 13, 2024, at GIMPA, stressed that “if the media understands the sector very well, they will not readily blame frontline players in the sector, such as VRA, GRIDCo and ECG, every time the lights go out in our homes or offices.”
He said they would rather notice and tell the stories of very hard-working professionals, technicians, engineers and maintenance guys who traverse valleys, forests and climb hills, keep long hours in control rooms to keep our lights on.
The veteran journalist noted that electricity had become so politicised and that with electricity now, like oxygen, the fate of governments and the chances of opposition parties winning elections are linked to electricity.
Ambassador Kabral Blay-Amihere, Board Chairman of Ghana Grid Company, GRIDCo.
“The media always stand the danger of getting entrapped and consequently report or cover the energy sector without high levels of objectivity,’’ he said.
Ambassador Blay-Amihere charged the media to interrogate government policies on the sector and not just be satisfied with explanations from the Energy Minister or the Ranking Member on Energy, adding that “they may just say something today just to fill space and satisfy your so-called 5 Ws and How.”
According to him, providing reliable and sustainable electricity 24/7 and 24/365 is capital-intensive and expensive.
He indicated that due to this, successive governments and entities, such as VRA, GRIDCo and ECG, have been compelled to borrow so much to ensure that electricity reaches every home, office and industry in Ghana.
He said, for instance, in 2013, GRIDCo contracted a loan of USD 178 million to build its 330 kV transmission line from Kumasi-Kintampo-Tamake-Bolgatanga to ensure reliable power supply to the North and beyond.
Besides, he said Ghana needed about $150 billion to build the Western corridor lines and a similar amount would be needed to build the Eastern corridor lines too, adding that the investment needed was very huge to make generation and distribution smooth.
The Managing Editor of energynewsafrica.com, Mr. Michael Creg Afful, implored Ghanaian journalists to take interest in the energy sector and learn its technicalities, so that they can come out with accurate report devoid of misinformation.
Michael Creg Afful, Editor of Energy News Africa
He said deepening the relationship between players in the energy sector and journalists is critical in helping to disseminate the right information to the public.
He paid glowing tributes to experts in the energy sector who encouraged him to specialise in energy reporting; he also urged other media professionals to specialise in the sector.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
The monopoly currently being enjoyed by Kenya’s power distribution company, Kenya Power, will soon be a thing of the past as the country’s energy regulator, the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA), has developed regulations that will open up the electricity market and allow private sector investors to participate in the distribution of electricity.
Kenya Power has enjoyed a monopoly for several decades, spanning from 1922 when the company was incorporated as the East African Power and Lighting Company Limited to serve Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.
Its name changed to the Kenya Power and Lighting Company Limited in 1983.
Kenya Power is partly owned by the Government of Kenya, with 50.1 per cent shareholding and private investors with 49.9 per cent shareholding.
A report by Kenya Star, a local news portal, said the regulations were developed following a petition by Independent Power Producers (IPPs) to allow open access to power transmission and distribution.
The draft Energy (Electricity Market, Bulk Supply and Open Access) Regulations, 2024, will, upon gazette, apply to the generation, importation, exportation, transmission, distribution and retail supply of electrical energy.
The Director General of EPRA who spoke at a public participation workshop recently explained that the investors would be at liberty to participate in power generation, transmission and distribution infrastructure business enabling them to supply bulk electricity to private retail vendors who would, in turn, oversee last-mile connectivity and billing to consumers.
He added that the open access principle is a step forward in modernising the electricity market and promoting competition.
“It introduces the wheeling of electricity which holds the potential to unlock new investment opportunities, enhance grid reliability, and ultimately deliver greater value to consumers who can enjoy lower power bills, less frequent outages and more choices on electricity suppliers,” he said as quoted by the Star.
The regulator would promote fair pricing by reviewing and approving proposed tariffs for any service to be charged by licensees.
This includes tariffs to be applied by generators, retailers, network service charges, wheeling charges, use of system charges, and ancillary services charges.
The regulations further highlight how the structure and design of the electricity market would be developed and the different roles of different licensees in the sector.
They also establish the responsibilities of transmission and distribution licensees in maintaining their networks and providing non-discriminatory access to other licensees and eligible consumers.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com 
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com 
