Ghana: Bui Power Authority Is Committed To Development Of RE Sector-CEO

Ghana’s second-largest state power generation company, Bui Power Authority (BPA), has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the development of renewable energy in the West African nation. According to the power producer, the signing of the BPA Amendment Act 2020 (Act 1046) into law in December 2020 has positioned the BPA in a pole position to contribute significantly to the target of increasing renewable energy contribution in the country. In that regard, the Authority said it would stand by to provide its technical support to execute and manage renewable energy projects that the Minister for Energy would designate in line with the Renewable Energy Amendment Act 2020 (Act 1045). The CEO of Bui Power Authority, Mr Samuel Kofi Dzamesi said this in a speech read for him by his deputy, Ing. Anthony Osafo Kissi, at the 7th Ghana Renewable Energy Conference & Exhibition Fair organised by the Energy Commission. Mr Dzamesi explained that, in line with a major policy action under Ghana’s commitment to the Paris Agreement on Climate Change to scale up renewable energy penetration by 10 per cent by 2030, the BPA is positioned to support the achievement of the mitigation targets set for small and medium hydropower programmes and utility-scale solar programmes. To meet the target, the BPA is poised to impact both renewable energy projects dotted around the country and unearthing and developing skills in young students.
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He said as a platinum sponsor of this year’s Ghana Renewable Energy Conference and Exhibition Fair, the BPA collaborated with the Energy Commission to scout for innovative ideas and skills through the Senior High School Renewable Energy Challenge. “I have received good reports of great innovative ideas which the Senior High Schools country-wide displayed,” he commented. “For this reason, we are supporting the Renewable Energy Fair, which provides an excellent platform to deliberate on topical energy issues and provide an opportunity to chart a way forward toward promoting renewable energy in Ghana,” he stated. Source: https://energynewsafrica.com

Ghana: Use GHS948 Million Balance Of Price Stabilisation Recovery Levy To Cushion Consumers-ACEP Tells Gov’t

Energy Think Tank, Africa Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP), is demanding the Government of Ghana to immediately apply the balance of monies so far raised from the implementation of the Price Stabilisation and Recovery Levy (PSRL) to cushion petroleum consumers who are suffering from the rising cost of fuel at the pump. According to ACEP, based on the consumption data of petroleum products between 2016 and the half-year of 2021, the PSRL is estimated to have cumulatively raised about GHS2.53 billion, out of which an average of 50 per cent is estimated as subsidies for premix fuel and Residual Fuel Oil (RFO). ACEP said adjusting for 25 per cent non-collection rate or theft by some Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs), the PSRL is estimated to have cumulatively raised about GHS1.89 billion. “Out of this amount, about GHS948 million is expected to have been cumulatively spent on subsidies, leaving about GHS948 million as the balance of the account,” ACEP said. The Price Stabilization and Recovery Levy (PSRL) was established in 2015 under the Energy Sector Levies Act, 2015 (Act 899). It would be recalled that last Monday, the Government of Ghana, through the petroleum downstream regulator, the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), announced the suspension of the Price Stabilisation and Recovery Levy for two months to cushion consumers. In a statement reacting to the new development, ACEP said, “For policy credibility, the utilization of the accumulated balance is what is required to cushion consumers in this high oil price period. “Simply zero-rating the PSRL for two months creates the assumption that the government does not intend to activate the price stabilization purpose of the PSRL, thus, raising the fundamental accountability question of what the government intends to use the estimated balance of GHS948 million in the PSRL account for.” Clink on the link below for the full statement ACEP Presser on the Zero Price Stabilization and Recovery Levy Source: https://energynewsafrica.com

Ghana: LPG Price To Go Up By 40 Pesewas Despite Removal Of PSRL- Gabriel Kumi

The Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) users in the Republic of Ghana should be prepared to pay more for the domestic commodity in the next few days, Vice President of LPG Marketers, Gabriel Kumi has said. The Government of Ghana, through the country’s downstream petroleum regulator, NPA, last Monday, October 11, 2021, announced the removal of the Price Stabilization and Recovery Levy (PSRL) fuel products. The removal of the PSRL is anticipated to reduce the cost of LPG, petrol and diesel, but that looks impossible given the rising cost of LPG and crude oil on the international market A kilogramme of LPG currently sells at GH7.50 while a litre of petrol and diesel sells at GHS6.52.
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Reacting to the removal of the Price Stabilization and Recovery Levy, the Vice-Chairman of the LPG Marketers Association, Gabriel Kumi, albeit commended the government, cautioned consumers against jubilating over the new development. He said per their projection, the LPG price will go up by 40 pesewas in the second pricing window, beginning from Saturday, October 16, 2021. “We are excited that gradually, the government is beginning to see reason in our persistent and consistent call for the removal of taxes from a product like the LPG because currently, the consumption of LPG is on the decline. We are not growing as we should because of high prices. “But we project that by December 2021, if we don’t take serious measures to reduce the price of LPG, we should be buying LPG at about GH¢10 per kilo. “This is going to throw away a lot of people from consuming LPG, which is very dangerous for our environment and very dangerous for Ghana. So, we would want to renew our call on the government to consider removing the existing taxes on the LPG because this is a product we need to subsidise,” he stressed. He mentioned that some neighbouring countries have subsidised the price of LPG, saying, “But in Ghana, we put as much as 20% tax on the product and this is seriously affecting consumption. We call on the government to do something about that.” Source: https://energynewsafrica.com

Nigeria: Residents Of Nasarawa State To Enjoy Electricity First Time In Decades After Creation

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Residents of Nasarawa State in Central Nigeria will, for the first time, enjoy electricity after 25 years of its creation. This is because the Niger Delta Power Holding Company has completed the 330/132/3kV, 2x150MVA and 2x60MVA transmission sub-station located in Lafia, capital of Nasarawa State. It will be the first time that the state capital, Lafia, and its environments, would be connected to the national grid since its creation on October 1, 1996. Nasarawa State is made up of thirteen Local Government Areas, namely, Akwanga, Awe, Doma, Karu, Keana, Kokona, Lafia, Nasarawa, Nasarawa Eggon, Obi, Toto, Wamba and Keffi. The Executive Director for Networks at the Niger Delta Power Holding Company Limited (NDPHC), Engr. Ife Oluwa Oyedele, who led a team from the company on a pre-commissioning inspection visit to Akubra, Lafia, where the station is located, said when energized, residents of Lafia and its environs would experience both social and economic boom as electricity supply would get a big boost. “The project will enhance uninterrupted power supply. Before now, even the Government House, Lafia, could not run on electricity from the distribution network because the 33kV line that comes from Akwanga is grossly inadequate to power the state capital and its environs. “Fortunately, the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) has already awarded the necessary distribution contracts that will ensure that as soon as the transmission sub-station is commissioned, the whole area would be lit.” While describing the construction as a ‘landmark project’ for the Buhari administration, Eng Oyedele said the project was being completed in record time. “The project has tremendous local content built into it as most of the technicians and engineers who did the construction were Nigerians, thereby, increasing local capacity. “Many factories including heavy industries, are now springing up in Nassarawa State in anticipation of the commissioning of the transmission sub-station as they now rest assured of an adequate supply of electricity. “What we have been watching on television and hearing about happening in other places is what we are now witnessing in our community too,” an excited Ibrahim Mohammed, youth leader of the Akubra community in Lafia, the location of the project, told reporters. He disclosed that the youth in the community have ensured that no harm went near any of the workers at the site and that no incidence of theft was recorded. “The youth will now become gainfully employed with an adequate supply of electricity,” he noted. The Prince of the community, Ahmed Uba said, “We give God the glory. Most youth that is presently jobless will now be gainfully employed as welders, barbers and other small and medium businesses will now begin to thrive.” The Deputy Managing Director of AK-AY Elektrik, the contractor handling the project, Dr Mohammed Gumi, who thanked NDPHC for the confidence reposed in them, gave the assurance that the project would be ready for commissioning within the next few weeks when connected to the national grid, through the line-in, line-out would have been completed. The transmission sub-station can deliver and meet 240MW of load demand. It will also help to provide back feed to FCT whenever necessary since FCT is being served from Shiroro and Geregu power stations. The transmission substation is one out of the National Integrated Power Project (NIPP) aimed at improving the transmission of electricity nationwide.

Kenya Loses Sea Border Dispute With Somalia At UN Court

Somalia will now own a chunk of what used to be Kenya’s territory in the Indian Ocean following a judgment on Tuesday by the International Court of Justice (ICJ). In an illustration issued by the ICJ, despite Somalia not getting what it wanted, the court’s decision awarded it most of the disputed territory. Joan Donoghue, the ICJ president who was leading the 15-member bench of judges, read out the ruling, asking both Kenya and Somalia to respect the judgment which is final, without appeal, and binding on the parties. The court unanimously found that that there is no agreed maritime boundary between Somalia and Kenya. The court also unanimously rejected the claim made by Somalia that Kenya, by its conduct in the disputed area, had violated its international obligations. In Mogadishu, all Cabinet members led by Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Rooble watched together the ICJ decision on the case. Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo hailed the ruling, terming it as a “historic victory” for his country. “We hope that the Kenyan government will respect the supremacy of international law and will forgo their misguided and unlawful pursuits. Instead, we hope that Kenya will treat the Court’s decision as an opportunity to strengthen relations between the two countries and enhance cooperation between the two peoples,” he said. Last week, Kenyan Foreign Affairs Permanent Secretary Macharia Kamau had said: “The delivery of the judgment will be the culmination of a flawed judicial process that Kenya has had reservations with and withdrawn from on account not only of its inherent bias but also of its unsuitability to resolve the dispute on hand.” In August 2014, Somalia instituted proceedings against Kenya with regard to a dispute concerning the delimitation of maritime spaces claimed by both countries in the Indian Ocean. In October 2015, Kenya raised preliminary objections to the jurisdiction of the court and the admissibility of the application. The ICJ is the principal judicial organ of the UN. It was established by the UN Charter in June 1945 and began its activities in April 1946. The court is composed of 15 judges elected for a nine-year term by the UN General Assembly and Security Council. Source :aa.com.tr

Ghana: Directive For New RE, Other Power Projects Soon-Energy Minister

Ghana’s Minister for Energy, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, has announced plans by the government to lift the moratorium placed on the signing of new power projects especially Renewable Energy. According to the Minister, his outfit is expediting actions particularly renegotiation of existing Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs), reviewing of the renewable energy licensing situations and would very soon announce new directives to ensure that existing and selected new projects that are bankable in both private and public sectors can move forward. Dr. Opoku Prempeh was speaking at the opening of the 7th Ghana Renewable Energy Fair and Exhibition in Accra on Tuesday, October 12, 2021. The 7th Ghana Renewable Energy Fair and Exhibition is being organised by Energy Commission in collaboration with Ministry of Energy. It is under the theme: ‘Removing Barriers to Renewable Energy Development in Ghana’. The sector Minister said President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s role as the Co-Chair of the Group of Eminent Advocates of the 2030 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SGDs), affirms Ghana’s position to promote sustainable energy for Ghana’s development and the world at large. By this, Ghana is leading the way by promoting the rapid development of renewable energy in Ghana’s energy generation mix. Dr Opoku Prempeh, therefore, disclosed that Ghana’s medium-to-long-term goal is to increase the contribution of renewable energy sources from solar, waste to energy and wind from the current 120MW installed capacity, representing 2.4 per cent of the generation mix, to more than 1000MW. “Thus, we want to attain a minimum of 10 per cent contribution from renewable energy in the generation mix by 2030,” he added. Though the world economy had been disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic, which had also affected investment in renewable energy, the Minister believes that the successes that the Ghana Renewable Energy Fair has chalked in the past six years are a result of the growing interest to decarbonize the planet and limit global warming to well below 2, preferably to 1.5 degrees Celsius, compared to pre-industrial levels. In the development of the country’s renewable energy industry, the Volta River Authority has added 17MW solar PV from their Kaleo and Lawra project financed by KfW this year, which cabinet has considered the proposal to increase the 17MW Kaleo- Lawra capacity to about 35MW by end of 2023, the Minister said. “The Bui Power Authority, on the other hand, has also completed the installation of 51MW solar PV at Bui in the Bono Region, which include the first-ever 1MW floating solar PV installation in the ECOWAS region.” While encouraging the Bui Power Authority to ramp up its solar generation to 250MW with the infrastructure and resources at their disposal, the Ministry of Energy has assured its support to enable the Authority to reach its full renewable energy potential. He also announced that the construction of the Pwalugu Multi-purpose power plant comprising of a 60MW hydropower hybridized with a 50MW solar plant by the VRA is ongoing while Ghana has completed the projects preparatory phase of the Scaling-up Renewable Energy Program (SREP). “All things being equal, we are poised to commence full implementation of the SREP by the second quarter of 2022. “The programme would provide opportunities to both the public and private sectors in the deployment and use of renewable energy in the country. The SREP would also contribute significantly to the attainment of our last mile electrification goal by 2025.
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“Even though the renewable energy sector is equally affected by the energy sector challenges, we have put in place policies, strategies and programmes to address them, remove barriers and restore investor confidence and growth.” Speaking on behalf of the President, the Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources, Cecilia Abena Dapaah said the government, as part of efforts in opening up the renewable energy sector for investment, is exploring the regional markets and positioning Ghana to become a major exporter of reliable and competitive electricity in the ECOWAS region. This, according to her, would not only benefit Ghana in terms of foreign exchange earnings but will also contribute to the regional economic inclusiveness strategy, strengthening energy security and peace in the sub-region. She expressed the hope that the conference would offer participants the opportunity to come up with tangible solutions that would help remove the barriers facing the development of renewable energy in the country. It would be climaxed tomorrow Thursday, October 14, with a Renewable Energy Challenge among competing Senior High Schools drawn from across the country. Source: https://energynewsafrica.com

Ghana: BOST Discovers Fuel Adulteration At Kumasi Depot

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The Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Company (BOST) has detected adulteration of products involving nine Bulk Road Vehicles (tankers) at its Kumasi depot in the Ashanti Region. According to a statement issued by BOST on Tuesday, October 12, 2021, the pre-discharge testing of the product aboard the nine tanker trucks confirmed that the chemical composition of the product at the destination differed from what was loaded on the truck. The statement said one of the tanker drivers is in custody and assisting in investigations while the eight others are at large. The statement assured the public that none of the adulterated products will find their way into the BOST tanks and for that matter the market. “The company wishes to further assure the public that the reported incident has not affected our operations in any way and our fuel safety and security as a country is assured,” the statement said. Source: https://energynewsafrica.com

Ghana: 7Th Ghana Renewable Energy Fair Underway In Accra (Photos)

The 7th Ghana Renewable Energy Fair is currently underway at the International Conference Centre in Accra, capital of Ghana. The three-day programme is being organised by the Energy Commission in collaboration with the Ministry of Energy. It is under the theme: ‘Removing Barriers to Renewable Energy Development in Ghana’. The programme, which began today, is expected to end on Thursday, October 14, 2021. It has brought together officials of Ghana’s Ministry of Energy, Energy Commission, Bui Power Authority, Volta River Authority, ECG and other stakeholders in the renewable energy industry. Source: https://energynewsafrica.com

Qatar Petroleum Changes Name To Reflect Strategy Focusing On Energy Transition

Qatar’s state-owned oil and gas company Qatar Petroleum has changed its name to reflect its new strategy focused on the energy transition. The company changed its name to QatarEnergy, according to information on its social media channels. The name is also accompanied by a slogan that says Your energy transition partner. Qatari newspaper, The Peninsula reported that this change reflects a new strategy that will focus on energy efficiency and environment-friendly technology such as CO2 sequestration.

Nigeria: Gov’t To Scrap Fuel, Electricity Subsidies In 2022

Nigeria has announced plans to remove subsidies on fuel and electricity in 2022. The country’s Minister for Finance, Budget and National Planning, Dr Zainab Ahmed disclosed this in Abuja, last Friday while giving a full breakdown of the 2022 budget. She explained that the removal of subsidies was part of the overall step at addressing revenue leakages. According to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), a total of ₦905.27 billion was spent on petrol subsidies in the last eight months. The landing cost for refined crude in Nigeria is about ₦290 per litre; with additional charges, revenue margins for oil and gas marketers, it is expected that the price of petroleum products will reach ₦350/litre. Investors in the Nigerian power sector are groaning over the rising cost of carrying on business due to the lack of a Cost-Reflective Tariff (CRT), rising inflation and fluctuating foreign exchange rates. The rise in global crude oil prices will result in a crisis with the sector largely dependent on fossil fuels for electricity generation.
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“The government is in the process of fully deregulating the downstream petroleum sector which will end subsidies and free up funds for national development, including investment in renewables which will be part of the energy mix that ultimately powers our economy,” Chief Timipre Sylva, Minister for Petroleum Resources, said. Source: https://energynewsafrica.com

Ghana: Big Relief For Fuel Consumers As Gov’t Suspends Price Stabilization and Recovery Levy On Fuel

The Government of Ghana has suspended the Price Stabilization and Recovery levies on petrol, diesel and Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) for two months. This brings down the taxes and levies components of petroleum price build-up from eighteen to seventeen. A litre of fuel currently sells at GHc6.52 for both petrol and diesel. This development has resulted in widespread complaints by petroleum consumers. As of 9 am, Monday, October 11, 2021, the international benchmark crude Brent was trading at $84.22 while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) was trading at $81.53 A statement issued by Ghana’s petroleum downstream regulator, the NPA, which announced the suspension of the Price Stabilization and Recovery Levy said: “Because the pricing of petroleum products in Ghana is deregulated, changes in prices of petroleum products on the world market have a direct impact on prices at the pumps. “The outlook of prices on the global market show an upward trend and, therefore, there was the need to seek the government’s intervention to lower the levies to cushion consumers from feeling the full impact of these rising prices,” it said. The statement explained that the purpose of the Price Stabilisation and Recovery Levy (PSRL) is to stabilise prices for consumers and pay for the subsidies on premix fuel and Residual Fuel Oil (RFO). At this time, It is Important that the PSRL, which is currently sixteen pesewas per litre (GHp16/Lt) on petrol, fourteen pesewas per litre (GHp14/Lt) on diesel and fourteen pesewas per kilogram (GHp14/Kg) on LPG are zeroed to cushion consumers. “The NPA will work with the Ministries of Energy and Finance to quicken the legislative processes to give immediate effect to this directive by the President,” it stated. “We are grateful to H.E. the President for granting the request to zero these levies to minimise the effect of rising prices of petroleum products on the world market on consumers in Ghana,” it concluded. Source: https://energynewsafrica.com

Nigeria Looks To Boost Oil Production By 310% To 4 Million Bpd

Nigeria, the largest oil producer and exporter in Africa, hopes that its newly adopted petroleum industry law will help it hike its oil production by 310 percent to 4 million barrels per day (bpd), Nigerian Petroleum Minister Timipre Sylva has said. Nigeria currently produces just below 1.3 million bpd, as per OPEC’s latest official data. The African OPEC member is one of the OPEC producers that have struggled in recent months to pump as much oil as their quota under the OPEC+ deal allows, due to force majeure circumstances at pipelines carrying crude to export terminals. The Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), which became law in August, will help Nigeria achieve its target to pump 4 million bpd, minister Sylva said at an energy conference, as carried by local outlet Premium Times. The new law will also allow the country to increase its crude oil reserves from 37 billion barrels to 40 billion barrels, and to extract more gas, which it sees as a key fuel in the energy transition, the minister added. “First is the Focus on Gas. For us, this is at the heart of the energy transition and represents the first step in the journey to renewables away from oil. Already, we have declared that gas is our transition fuel, and also represents a destination fuel, as we envisage that it will be part of our energy mix by 2050, given the vast resources that can be commercialized and utilized,” Sylva said. In the middle of August, Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari signed the country’s newly passed petroleum bill into law, marking the end of 20 years of efforts at Africa’s top oil producer to overhaul its oil industry. The new petroleum act aims to attract more foreign capital to the country’s oil sector, Nigeria says. The bill took two decades to be finalized, and hopes to overhaul the way Nigeria will share its oil resources with international oil companies as the country looks to attract new investment in oil and gas. Source:Oilprice.com

Ghana: Disregard Calls For Suspension Of TOR IMC- GTPCWU To Gov’t

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The umbrella body of oil and gas sector workers in the Republic of Ghana has called on the government to disregard calls for the suspension of the three-member Interim Management Committee (IMC) currently in place at the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR). According to Bernard Owusu, chairman of the General Transport Petroleum and Chemical Workers Union (GTPCWU), the IMC should be allowed to do its work and come out with its full report. He described the calls for the suspension of the IMC as wrong and inappropriate. It would be recalled that the three-member Interim Management Committee, chaired by Ing. Nobert Cormla-Djamposu Aku, was constituted by the country’s Energy Minister, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, to undertake technical and human resource audits as well as receiving and assessing viable partnerships for TOR. This followed the dismissal of the Managing Director of TOR, Mr Francis Boateng, and his Deputy, Mr Ato Morrison, in June this year. Energynewsafrica.com reported last Tuesday, October 6, 2021, that the ICM had interdicted fourteen top executives of the premier refinery for their roles which had caused financial losses to the company. The IMC discovered that 18 drums of electrical cables worth and GHS10.4 million had disappeared from its Technical Storehouse, as well as the disappearance of 105, 927 litres of gas oil, which belonged to a BDC. It also detected the disappearance of an LPG product belonging to a client between 2012 and 2015, as a result of which TOR was indebted to the client to the tune of USD4.8 million, as confirmed by an Ernst and Young audit. It further detected the wrongful loading of 252,000 litres of Aviation Turbine Kerosene (ATK) instead of regular kerosene into BRV trucks at the loading gantry between 21st and 25th September 2021. This development seemed to have ruffled feathers within the refinery and external beneficiaries of the alleged rot with calls on the government to suspend the IMC. But speaking to energynewsafrica.com, Bernard Owusu said: “I find it weird for somebody to say that the IMC should be dissolved. Why are the products of only the BDCs disappearing? When BDCs were not using TOR storage tanks, there were no product losses,” he noted. Mr Bernard believed the IMCs findings have exposed the cabal at TOR, who have been engaging in dubious practices and milking the refinery. To him, the oil and gas business is full of cabals, saying “Maybe, the IMC is stepping on the toes of the cabal,” adding that “some of them are playing the game of their paymasters.” Mr Owusu, who said one of the indicted workers is a member of the Union, said the Union is in solidarity with the indicted workers but said the Union does not condone wrongdoing. He, therefore, urged all the union members to back the IMC. Source: https://energynewsafrica.com

Ghana: Patronise Ghanaian-made Electrical Cables-Deputy Energy Minister Advises

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A Deputy Minister for Energy in the Republic of Ghana, William Owuraku Aidoo, has called on Ghanaians to patronise the locally-made electrical cables and accessories to boost the country’s economy and also encourage the cable manufacturers to remain in business. “I urge all Ghanaians to patronise Ghanaian-made electrical wiring materials,” he said. The Deputy Minister made the call in his keynote address at the launching of ‘Syllabus and Guidelines for the electrical wiring regulations, 2011(LI 2008) and the USAID/WAEP’ sponsored electrical wiring certification scholarship scheme. Some of the local companies into the production of cables are Tropical Cables and Conductors Ltd, Reroy Cables and Nexans Kabelmetal Ghana Ltd. The Deputy Minister also called on Ghanaian businesses to take advantage of the One District One Factory (1D1F) initiative being spearheaded by the government to establish factories to produce electrical wiring cables and accessories.
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