Russia Bans Gasoline Exports For Six Months From March 1
Russia has announced plans to introduce a six-month ban on gasoline exports effective March 1, a spokesperson for Russian Deputy Prime Minister, Alexander Novak, said on Tuesday.
The move aimed to offset the growth in demand in spring and summer, the spokesperson said.
He said that another possible measure is to increase the diesel sales rate on the stock exchange to 16 per cent.
The restriction would not apply to the countries in the Eurasian Economic Union, he added.
Previously, Russia introduced a ban on gasoline exports from September 21 to November 17, 2023, to stabilise the price situation in the domestic motor fuel market.
The ban was lifted after the domestic fuel market reached saturation and a supply surplus was established.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Ghana: Locally Made Electrical Cables Are World Class–GSA Boss
Electrical cables produced by indigenous Ghanaian firms are certified and are of world-class quality, the Director-General of Ghana Standards Authority (GSA), Dr Alex Dodoo, has stated.
The Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) has licensed six indigenous electrical cable manufacturing companies that produce all kinds of cables for both domestic and industrial use.
They are Tropical Cables and Conductors Limited, Nexans Cable Ghana Limited, Reroy Cables Ghana Limited, Signal Ghana Limited, African Diamond Cable Company Limited and Fenice Metal Technology Limited Company.
Aside from that, the GSA has also licensed 100 importers that import foreign electrical cables in the West African nation for sale.
Speaking at the graduation of 195 electricians who successfully passed the Certified Electrical Wiring Professional examination, Prof Alex Dodoo said cables from the local manufacturers are of exceptional quality.
He noted that the huge proportion of imported cables has been a cause for considerable debate since the country has adequate capacity to produce some cables.
He revealed that nationwide surveillance conducted by the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) in 2018 revealed that more than 70 per cent of imported electrical cable brands on the Ghanaian market were substandard.
He continued that a review of data from GSA laboratories indicated that 43 per cent of electrical cables tested did not pass the tests.
“This is a cause for concern, and we will continue to partner with the Energy Commission to drive this number towards zero per cent.
“Whilst achieving hundred per cent quality cables on the market is not easy, it can be done, and we are all committed to achieving just that and this is how we will do it,” he stated.
To address this, Prof Dodoo said his outfit has introduced a 3-prong approach towards solving the problem of substandard cables and accessories and ensuring the safety of life and property.
He mentioned continuous testing and certification of all cables, encouragement for local manufacture of not just cables but also of accessories heightened testing and inspection of all imports and increased market surveillance to rid the market of substandard cables.
He revealed that GSA had already trained the needed workforce to do that, and “we shall not relent in our efforts.”
He urged electrical cable consumers to patronise locally made cables for their safety and the growth of the country’s economy.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
SolarBank Appoints Renewable Energy Executive To Board Of Directors
SolarBank Corporation, an independent renewable and clean energy project developer and owner focusing on distributed and community solar projects in Canada and the USA has appointed Chelsea L. Nickles to its Board of Directors as an independent director.
This was revealed by the company in a statement issued on Tuesday, February 27, 2024.
Ms. Nickles is a renewable energy professional with more than 20 years of experience contributing to a net zero world.
For nearly the past decade, Ms. Nickles has been focusing on developing offshore wind projects in multiple jurisdictions with Ørsted, the global leader in offshore wind.
Ms. Nickels currently holds the title of Director with Ørsted and also serves as a director for several offshore wind companies where she helps to steer their success.
Prior to joining Ørsted, Ms. Nickles worked as a lawyer in the Projects, Energy, Natural Resources and Infrastructure group with Allen & Overy LLP in London, England.
Ms. Nickles holds a Bachelors of Arts (honours) from Acadia University and obtained a juris doctor from the University of Calgary in 2009.
Dr. Richard Lu, President & CEO of SolarBank commented: “I am very pleased that Chelsea has agreed to join the Board as our third independent director. Her experience in renewable energy, and international background, are key skill sets that will assist SolarBank as it continues to grow its business. Access to wind project expertise and her being located overseas open up new opportunities for SolarBank to explore.”
Ghana: NPA Orders Sentuo Refinery To Compensate PUMA Energy
Ghana’s downstream petroleum regulator, the National Petroleum Authority, has directed the Chinese-owned refinery, Sentuo Refinery, to compensate Puma Energy, one of the oil marketing companies in the Republic of Ghana, after the regulator established that gasoline bought from the refinery did not fulfil the required vapour pressure.
Per the directive by the regulator, the refinery is expected to ensure that the products in question were evacuated from the retail outlet of Puma, return the products to the refinery for correction through the BDCs that marketed the product, and compensate Puma with products that are acceptable quality per quantities returned through the BDCs involved.
A source at the NPA, disclosed this to Energy News Africa via the telephone.
This comes after two energy sector think tanks– Institute for Energy Security (IES) and COPEC–raised concerns that the refinery had sold products that did not meet industry standards.
The regulator responded via a press statement and clarified that the issue had to do with the vapour pressure of the gasoline from the refinery and not all their products as reported.
The statement mentioned that a sanction had been imposed on the refinery without giving details on the level of the said sanction.
However that did not meet the expectations of the two thinks–IES and COPEC–who issued a joint statement to demand disclosure about the level of sanction imposed on the refinery.
“NPA, in insisting Sentuo Refinery has acquired all due licences to enable it to put products onto the Ghanaian market, is also entreated to publish both the Commercial Licences so granted and the Quality Assurance Certificate on the petroleum consignment in question, for the sake of transparency, and dispelling industry and consumer fears that the refinery is in a hurry to side step some regulatory protocols meant to ensure no rules of safety are bent using apparent arm twisting as we currently seeing.
“The NPA must be made aware of the fact that any such sanctions on the Chinese refinery must factor due and appropriate compensations to both AOMCs and its members affected by the bad fuel and its attendant challenges on their facilities as well as the consumers who patronised these products and are currently grappling with one issue or the other on their engines,” IES and COPEC said in their statement.
The refinery, last week, admitted that its premium spirit, popularly known as petrol, did not meet the required standard and took corrective measures to address the issue.
Albert Duncan, a consultant with the refinery, told energynewsafrica.com that they realised that there was a problem with the vapour pressure of the PMS and they took corrective measures to address the issue.
“As we speak, we are selling. It’s only the petrol that had a problem and we have taken steps to correct it,” Mr Duncan said via the telephone.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Uganda: UETCL Posts Shs95b Profit In 2023 Despite Surge In Power Losses
Ugandan Electricity Transmission Company (UETCL) has posted a profit of Shs94.9billion
(equivalent of $23,915,228.40) for the period ended June 2023 on account of forex gains, a local media has reported.
The report said UETCL also reported unpaid arrears of Shs166b, resulting from power bills due to different ministries, agencies and departments.
The Ugandan Minister for Energy and Mineral Development Minister, Dr Ruth Nankabirwa, described the profit as a “good gesture,” during UETCL’s 15th annual general meeting in Kampala, noting: “We have also seen more off-taking of power evacuated by UETCL during the period.”
The company’s energy sales performance also grew by seven per cent from 5.4 gigawatts per hour due to an increase in demand and supply, leading to Shs1.3b in energy sales revenues.
Uganda currently has an installed electricity generation capacity of slightly above 2,000 megawatts largely from hydropower dams, of which 1,496 megawatts are from large hydropower dams.
However, annual transmission losses increased to 4.79 per cent from 4.2 per cent, against the Electricity Regulatory Authority’s 4.6 per cent target.
During the period, transmission coverage increased from 3,989 circuit kilometres to 4,218 kilometres with the commissioning of the 132-kilovolt Karuma to Lira, 132-kilovolt Karuma to Kawanda, and 132-kilovolt Mutundwe to Entebbe transmission lines, respectively.
Source:https:// energynewsafrica.com
Qatar Announces Another Major LNG Expansion Project
QatarEnergy, the state company of one of the world’s biggest LNG exporters, is adding another major LNG expansion project to its two ongoing projects, aiming to raise its total LNG export capacity by 85% from current levels by 2030.
QatarEnergy said on Sunday it is proceeding with a new LNG expansion project, the North Field West project, after drilling appraisal wells at the world’s largest natural gas field, the North Field it shares with Iran, and finding “huge additional gas quantities” in the field.
The North Field West project adds to the ongoing North Field East (NFE) and North Field South (NFS) expansion projects, with the three field developments expected to boost Qatar’s LNG production capacity to 142 million tons per annum (MTPA) before the end of this decade, representing an increase of nearly 85% from current production levels of 77 MTPA.
Commenting on the appraisal drilling and the new export project, QatarEnergy’s chief executive Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi said in a statement,
“These are very important results of great dimensions that will take Qatar’s gas industry to new horizons, as they will enable us to begin developing a new LNG project from the North Field’s western sector with a production capacity of about 16 MTPA.”
QatarEnergy will immediately commence the basic engineering works necessary to ensure that the planned progress is achieved according to the approved schedule for the North Field West project, the company said.
At the end of last year, Al-Kaabi told Reuters that QatarEnergy is assessing further LNG export expansion beyond the already announced huge North Field developments—the biggest LNG expansion project in the world currently underway.
“If we think there is more capacity, we’ll probably do more,” the executive told Reuters.
Last year, Al-Kaabi saidthat “40% of all the new LNG that will come to the market by 2029, when all our projects are up and running, is going to be from QatarEnergy.”
Source: Oilprice.com
Namibia: Remembering The Legacy Of President Hage Geingob, A True African Giant
On Sunday morning, February 5, many of us woke to the news of the tragic passing of Namibian President Hage Geingob.
The death of this great man and remarkable leader is a tremendous loss. The African Energy Chamber extends our deepest sympathies, both to President Geingob’s family and to the people of Namibia.
It’s difficult to express how much President Geingob meant to us. He spoke so glowingly about our work, and we looked to him with great respect.
I’m grateful that I got to see and hear him up close just a few months ago at African Energy Week (AEW). We spent a lot of time talking that week, and I can honestly say that President Geingob was one of the funniest presidents I have met.
Not only that, but his memory, resolve, and intellectual depth were surreal. He was truly a deep thinker.
How ironic that he opened his speech at AEW with a tribute to former Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari, who had just died. And now, a few months later, President Geingob has gone on to his final rest.
Important Place in History
When I think of President Geingob, my thoughts go to his recent accomplishments and the positive impact he made since he was elected to his first term in 2015.
I think about his visionary leadership, his integrity, and his wise approach to building Namibia’s hydrocarbon and renewable energy sectors.
But his critical place in Namibia’s history was firmly cemented long before he became president.
Geingob was Namibia’s first prime minister. He took that role in 1990, immediately after the country gained independence from South Africa. He served as prime minister until 2002, and again from 2008 to 2012.
He also served as president of Namibia’s ruling SWAPO Party (The South West Africa People’s Organisation), which formed as a liberation movement in 1960 when Namibia (then known as South-West Africa) was under the administration of South Africa.
Going back even further, Geingob was a respected anti-apartheid activist who spent nearly 30 years in exile in Botswana and the United States.
In 1964, he was the SWAPO representative at the United Nations and to the Americas. He went on to be the founding director of the UN Institute for Namibia, an educational body set up by the United Nations Council for Namibia in 1976.
Later, Geingob was elected chairman of the constituent assembly that was responsible for drafting the Namibian constitution.
Impactful Leadership
As president of Namibia, Geingob was known for his wisdom, diplomacy, and unwavering commitment to the well-being of Namibians.
I would add that some of his greatest moments as a leader took place behind the scenes, as he laid the foundation for a successful Namibian energy industry.
Namibia made global headlines in 2022 after Shell and TotalEnergies announced massive offshore oil and gas discoveries there. But neither those discoveries, nor the flurry of exploration activity that followed, took place in a vacuum.
They were the result of leadership that recognized the critical roles of good governance, stability, and business-friendly policies in encouraging investment. Namibia has Geingob to thank for that.
The country also has Geingob to thank for committing to using a portion of Namibia’s natural gas resources to meet domestic needs. That wise course will bolster energy security, paving the way for economic growth and industrialization.
Likewise, Namibia has Geingob to thank for its rapidly developing green hydrogen sector, which will lead to even more jobs, business opportunities, and access to electricity for Namibians.
These accomplishments, among countless others, led the African Energy Chamber to award President Geingob our 2023 Lifetime Achievement Award during AEC in Cape Town last October.
The award recognizes African leaders who have taken bold steps to improve the socioeconomic development and the well-being of Africans by accelerating energy sector growth in our continent.
As I’ve said more than once, Namibia stands as a shining example of what can be achieved through visionary leadership and a commitment to sustainable development.
Under President Geingob’s guidance, Namibia’s energy sector has become a beacon of opportunity, attracting major investments and driving innovation.
President Geingob was truly an African giant, one whom far too many people didn’t know about. I’m glad I did, and I’m glad we were able to honor his efforts.
Ghana Has The Cleanest Fuel In West Africa–NPA Boss
Ghana’s specifications for gasoline and gasoil which are set at a Sulphur content of 50 parts per million (ppm) is the cleanest in the West African sub-region, the downstream petroleum regulator NPA CEO, Dr Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, has said.
Dr Abdul-Hamid was speaking as a panel member on: ‘Downstream Decarbonisation and Circularity–Going Full Circle’, at the Egypt Energy Show in Cairo, Egypt.
He said that calls on the government by civil society organisations and the public to adhere to the decarbonisation objectives and the protection of the environment caused the policy change in Ghana to reduce the Sulphur content in fuel to 50 ppm.
The NPA Chief Executive, who is also the President of the African Refiners and Distributors Association (ARDA), said Ghana is changing the LPG distribution model to improve clean cooking across the country.
He said a series of accidents at LPG refilling stations in the past, the need to improve the environment, prevent deforestation and improve the lives of rural women especially have made the new LPG distribution model called the Cylinder Recirculation Model (CRM) more imperative.
He emphasised that the CRM would enhance access to LPG, as exchange points are being constructed across the country.
He added that the government’s LPG for Development Programme aims to achieve a 50 per cent penetration of LPG in households across the country by 2030.
Dr Abdul-Hamid disclosed that the government provides free LPG cylinders to poor households in rural areas under the programme.
He said people could not afford cylinders and cookstoves in the first place, and that informed their reliance on wood fuels.
Besides, the NPA Boss said the government has ordered 100 electric-powered buses for the Metro Mass Transit Limited (MMT) as a way of showing an example in the energy transition agenda.
Dr Abdul-Hamid also highlighted the government’s policy for state institutions to be powered by solar.
He indicated that an incentive has been given to private individuals who want to power their institutions and houses on solar.
Dr Abdul-Hamid lauded the freedom of speech in Ghana, which encourages civil society organisations and the public to the agenda towards cleaner energy in the country.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Nigeria: President Tinubu To Inaugurate Geometric Power Plant In Abia Today
Nigerian President Bola Tinubu is expected to inaugurate the 188MW Geometric power plant in the Osisioma Industrial Layout of Aba in Abia State today.
The inauguration was supposed to have been done over the weekend but was rescheduled for Monday, February 26, 2024.
“The new date was chosen by the Presidency in Abuja due to what insider sources described as unexpected developments,” the company said in a statement.
It was disclosed that the President would inaugurate the 188MW thermal plant alongside Aba Power Limited, which would take electricity from the new plant and supply it to nine of the 17 local government areas in Abia State.
The Managing Director of the company, Ben Caven, described the power plant as the biggest investment in the South-East, saying the company had spent $800 million on its integrated power project, which included building a 27km natural gas pipeline from Owaza in Ukwa West Local Government Area in Abia State to the Osisioma Industrial Layout in Aba.
“We have, in addition, installed 150,000km of cables and wires and installed four new power sub-stations, as well as refurbished three others inherited from the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria,” explained Caven.
The Geometric Power Group was founded by Professor Bart Nnaji, who was Nigeria’s former Minister for Science and Technology and later, Minister for Power.
The statement added that Nnaji had embarked on the integrated project after the then World Bank President, James Wolfensohn, and former Nigeria’s Finance Minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, visited Aba on March 17, 2004, and discovered that the greatest challenge facing both large-scale and medium-scale industrialists in Aba was the epileptic power supply.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Ghana: Bawumia Constitutes 15-Member Energy Committee To Draft Energy Policy Ahead Of December 7 Election
The Flagbearer of the governing New Patriotic Party, Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has constituted a Member Energy Committee to draft an energy policy his administration will be implementing from 2025 and beyond if given the nod to become the next President of Ghana.
The country’s general election have been scheduled for December 7, 2024.
The fifteen-member Energy Manifesto committee is chaired by Kojo Poku Nsafoah, Executive Director of the Institute for Energy Policy Research (INSTEPR).
Minister for Energy Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, the Member of Parliament for Manhyia South, is an advisor to the committee.
The other members are Nana Ama Tima Boakye (Co-Chair), Deputy Chief Executive Officer in charge of Operations and Technical at the Petroleum Hub Development Authority, Dr Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, Chief Executive Officer of National Petroleum Authority, Mr Emmanuel Antwi Darkwa, Chief Executive Officer of Volta River Authority, Mr Edwin Provencal, Managing Director of Bulk Energy and Transportation Company Limited formerly BOST, Dr Ben K.D Asante, Chief Executive Officer of Ghana National Gas Company, Ms Portiaownsn-suwaah Obeng, Hamida Nuhu, Prof Appiah-Adu, Mr Kwesi Sarpong,
Mustapha Hameed, Hon. Andrew Agyapa Mercer, former Deputy Minister for Energy, Mr Robert Forson and Mr Steve Oko.
The list was part of the 289 members selected to form t the Manifesto Committee for the various sectors of the economy.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Ghana: GNPC Explores Strategic Partnership With AGAT Laboratories To Enhance Research Capabilities
Ghana’s National OIL Company (GNPC) has held discussions with top officials of AGAT Laboratories, a Canada-based company, to explore the possibility of partnership during a four-day working visit by AGAT Laboratories officials to GNPC offices in Accra.
This visit, comprising a series of meetings and familiarisation tours of GNPC’s operations at the Research & Data Centre and the GNPC Training Centre, marks a pivotal moment in GNPC’s quest to enhance research capabilities and foster innovation within the oil and gas sector.
In an introductory meeting that featured discussions on advanced analytical techniques and cutting-edge research methodologies, the distinguished Canadian company, globally known for its specialised laboratory services, explored potential partnerships, collaborations and support for GNPC’s ambitious Research and Technology Center (RATC) project.
Representing the Chief Executive Officer, Opoku-Ahweneeh Danquah, the General Manager for Strategy & Investment at GNPC, Dr Kwame Baah-Nuakoh, expressed enthusiasm about the potential collaboration, stating, “AGAT Laboratories brings a wealth of expertise and experience that perfectly aligns with our vision of establishing GNPC as a leading world-class oil and gas company.
Their proficiency in various scientific disciplines opens exciting possibilities for innovation and knowledge exchange.”
Impressed by GNPC’s commitment to advancing research and technology in the energy sector, the Chief Science Officer at AGAT Laboratories, Brent Nassichuk, in the company of Colin Thiessen, Director of Business Development at AGAT Lab, said the visit had provided his team with valuable insights into the corporation’s capabilities and aspirations.
“We see great potential for collaboration in areas such as environmental analysis, geochemical studies, and specialised testing,” he said.
Mr. Kwesi Krasi Eyiah, General Manager of Research & Data at GNPC, said a partnership with AGAT Laboratories would offer a significant opportunity for GNPC to leverage cutting-edge technologies and analytical methods to drive innovation in the oil and gas industry.
“By combining our expertise with AGAT’s specialised capabilities, we are poised to revolutionise research and data analysis not only in the petroleum sector in Ghana but across other areas as well,” he said.
The discussions also focused on leveraging AGAT’s state-of-the-art laboratory facilities and GNPC’s existing infrastructure to enhance research outcomes and drive sustainable growth in the oil and gas industry.
Both entities underscored the importance of fostering a collaborative ecosystem conducive to knowledge sharing and innovation.
As GNPC continues to fortify its position as a key player in the global energy landscape, partnerships with esteemed institutions like AGAT Laboratories serve as catalysts for progress.
The visit concluded on a positive note, with both parties expressing optimism about the prospects of their collaboration.
Looking ahead, GNPC remains steadfast in harnessing the latest advancements in science and technology to unlock the full potential of Ghana’s oil and gas reserves.
A potential partnership with AGAT Laboratories will represent a significant stride towards achieving this objective and underscore GNPC’s unwavering commitment to excellence in research and development.
Other GNPC officials at the meeting included Mr Albert Akowuah, Mana of Corporate Strategy; Mr Ato Debrah, Manager of Human Resource (Training & Competence Development) and Mr Vincent Kwamla Hotor, Manager of geology.
Source:https://energynewsafrica.com
Source:https://energynewsafrica.com South Africa’s Green Energy Transition Receives Boost
South Africa’s efforts to switch to green and renewable energy have received a major boost.
This was after a team of researchers from the University of Pretoria discovered natural hydrogen gas in Hendrina, Mpumalanga.
The discovery was made after several months of field data collection in various parts of the province’s highveld region.
Natural hydrogen is considered to be a source of renewable energy that is cheap to extract. It does not emit emissions.
The University of Pretoria Associate Professor in Geology, Adam Bumby says, “Geologists have been noticing that you get these shallow depressions in the ground that are hydrogen bearing.
Our thought was that areas like the pans in Mpumalanga maybe they are hydrogen-bearing as well. They are very similar in shape and size.
So we came out here last year with the hydrogen meter and drilled a series of very shallow holes and yeah, there is a significant elevation in hydrogen values that come out of the soil immediately adjacent to the pans in Mpumalanga”.
Green Hydrogen transformation process with Dr Phil Mjwara Bumby further explained how hydrogen could be a source of renewable energy that could contribute to the national energy budget and help address the energy crisis in the country.
“It’s not a huge amount of electricity, It powers some lights, and a fridge or two but nevertheless that energy is free.
That electricity is produced with no costs other than the original borehole and it’s renewable.
The hydrogen just keeps coming up through that borehole. And of course in non-polluting. When hydrogen burns it doesn’t produce that CO2 that goes into the atmosphere.
It produces water and its electricity that local communities can use,” Bumby said.
Geology Masters students from the university who are among the researchers say they are grateful to have taken part in this groundbreaking exercise.
They say surrounding communities will benefit from this discovery.
Bumby believes that although it is still early to tell the exact amount of hydrogen gas that is present in the area, they are hopeful that more deposits of hydrogen will be found as they drill deeper into the earth’s surface.
Green Hydrogen Summit | Concerns about human, environmental and resource impact:
Source: Sabcnews.com
Kenya: EPRA Denies Report Of Over-billing Electricity Consumers
Kenya’s Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority has denied media reports suggesting that it added illegal electricity levies resulting in the over-billing of power consumers.
A statement issued by Daniel Kiptoo Bagora, the Director-General of EPRA, described the media report as false.
“The authority is mandated by law to balance the interests of the consumers and investors and to ensure the security of power supply and sustainability of the sector,” Mr Bagora said as carried by the Star.
There were reports that EPRA added illegal levies to its monthly fuel surcharge.
The media reports quoted the Auditor General’s report which showed that Kenya Power overcharged consumers by Sh23.17 billion in 2023.
Kenya Power, however, downplayed the findings, insisting that the company was allowed to collect those amounts.
Responding to the issue, EPRA’s Director-Genral, Kiptoo explained that between the last tariff review to the current review effected in April 2023, seven new power plants were commissioned with a total capacity of 502MW.
He named them Olkaria V (158MW), Olkaria I Unit 6 (83MW), Kipeto Wind Power (100MW), Selenkei (40MW), Cedate (40MW), Malindi Solar (40MW), Alten Solar (40MW) and Kianthumbi Small Hydro (0.5MW).
Mr Kiptoo noted that effective April 2023, there was a tariff review for the period 2023/2024, 2024/2025, and 2025/2026, which now included generation costs of the eight plants not included in the previous Base Tariff.
“In effect, there is no over-billing. The approved tariff now includes the costs of power plants commissioned between October 2019 to March 2023,” the EPRA boss said.
The Base Tariff comprises the cost of generation, transmission and distribution that utilities like Kenya Power and Lighting Company, Kenya Electricity Generating Company, Kenya Electricity Transmission Company, Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation, Geothermal Development Company, and Independent Power Producers incur in the provision of the regulated services.
These costs are calculated based on the existing generation contracts, operation and maintenance contracts, and the cost of finance associated with the provision of these services.
The Base Tariff is set at the prevailing exchange rate and a prevailing Consumer Price Index that represents core inflation.
EPRA assured stakeholders that it would ensure that only prudently incurred costs in power generation, transmission, and distribution were recovered from consumers.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Ghana: Sentuo Refinery Admits Its Petrol Had Pressure Issue…Takes Steps To Correct It After NPA Directive
The Chinese-owned refinery, Sentuo Refinery, has admitted that its premium spirit, popularly known as petrol, did not meet the required standard and has taken corrective measures to address the issue.
Albert Duncan, a consultant with the refinery, told energynewsafrica.com that they realized that there was a problem with the vapour pressure of the PMS.
He said they have taken corrective measures to address the issue.
“As we speak, we are selling. It’s only the petrol that had a problem and we have taken steps to correct it,” Mr Duncan said via the telephone.
His comments followed a statement issued by the Chamber of Petroleum Consumers (COPEC) and the Institute for Energy Security (IES) which accused the refinery of selling products that did not meet standards and specifications.
The two energy think tanks, in a statement, claimed that the out-of-specification products were reported to causing damage to vehicles and machinery with key oil marketing brands struggling to find ways to dislodge these products, with some compelled to shut down dispensing pumps, while the regulator–the National Petroleum Authority (NPA)–looked on helpless.
“The IES and COPEC wish to serve notice that they will not hesitate to equally drag the Ghana Standard Authority (GSA) and the National Petroleum Authority to the law courts in the coming days if the current menace is not immediately addressed,” the group warned.
Reacting to the issue, the regulator’s Head of Quality Control,Ubeidalah Saeed said it was only the petrol from the refinery that had an issue and not all their products.
He clarified that the issue with the petrol was about vapour pressure and not that the product was unwholesome.
“So it is not like the product is unwholesome but rather the pressure was above the maximum requirement,” he told this portal on the telephone.
“Because products are co-mingled at the retail outlet at point, where the pressures were low at these services stations resulting in this challenge,” he explained.
Continuing, Mr Saeed said the NPA asked Sentuo Refinery to suspend the sale of the PMS and correct the anomaly before selling the product.
He said few minutes earlier, he spoke to an official of the refinery and he confirmed that they were resolving the issue.
In a statement issued by the Corporate Affairs Diretorate, NPA said beyond the remedial actions taken by the refinery, it has also impossed sanctions on them.
Sentuo Refinery is a new refinery located in the Tema industrial area.
The refinery is undergoing a test run and it is expected to be completed by the end of March or the first week in April 2024.
The NPA, however, fitted them to sell its products after meeting the standard and specifications.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com