Ghana: Raging Bush Fire Cause Of Saturday Power Outage—GRIDCo
Ghana’s power transmission company, GRIDCo, has blamed the power outage being experienced in some parts of the West African nation on system disturbances that occurred at about 11:57 on Saturday 14th January 2023.
According to GRIDCo, a raging bush fire under its high voltage lines near Tarkwa in the Western Region has been identified as what caused its 330kV Aboadze—Anwomaso line to trip, thereby, resulting in several lines in the western corridor of the grid triggering a system disturbance, causing all thermal plants and Bui generators and customer loads to trip.
GRIDCo, in a statement, said a fire tender from Tarkwa Goldfields is on-site to bring the fire under control.
Meanwhile, restoration of the grid commenced immediately, and efforts are ongoing to restore power to all affected areas and customers.
“GRIDCo sincerely apologises for the inconvenience caused by this incident and is working to restore normal power supply,” the statement concluded.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
UK’s $1.15 Bln Funding For Mozambique LNG Project Lawful -Court
The British government’s funding of up to $1.15 billion for a liquefied natural gas (LNG) project in Mozambique is lawful, a London court ruled on Friday, dismissing an appeal by Friends of the Earth.
The environmental campaign group had asked London’s Court of Appeal to rule the British government wrongly decided funding the project, led by French energy company TotalEnergies (TTEF.PA), was compatible with the Paris Agreement on climate change.
UK Export Finance (UKEF) has committed to provide direct loans and guarantees to banks to support the design, build and operation of the $20 billion project.
Friends of the Earth’s legal action over the decision failed in a lower court and was dismissed by the Court of Appeal in a written ruling on Friday.
Judge Geoffrey Vos said the Paris Agreement was “only one of a range of factors” UKEF took into account when reaching the decision to fund the project.
The judge added that UKEF’s view that funding the project was aligned with the UK’s obligations under the Paris Agreement was “tenable” and that there was no requirement for it to be “certain that the decision complied with those obligations”.
Friends of the Earth described the ruling as “extremely disappointing” and said it is considering an appeal to the UK Supreme Court.
“This extremely disappointing judgment doesn’t alter our firm belief that the UK government should not be supporting the Mozambique gas project, or any fossil fuel project at home or abroad,” Rachel Kennerley, an international climate campaigner with the group, said in a statement.
UKEF did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
A spokesperson for TotalEnergies welcomed the ruling, saying the project “will deliver a range of social and economic benefits to Mozambique and is a key part of Mozambique’s aim to diversify its economy”.
“TotalEnergies supports the goals of the 2015 Paris Agreement, which calls for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the context of sustainable development and the fight against poverty,” the spokesperson added.
Source: Reuters
Nigeria: Kaduna Electric Apologises For Epileptic Power Supply
The Kaduna Electric Distribution Company, one of the power distribution companies has apologized for the epileptic power supply in some communities in Kaduna, urging customers to be patient as the problem would be resolved soon.
“The management of Kaduna Electric wishes to apologize to residents of Kinkinau, Zango, Kinkinau GRA, Musabaqa and Yantukwane under Tudun Wada Area Office for the epileptic power supply in their communities.
“Similarly, we extend the same wishes to our esteemed customers in Asikolaye, Unguwan Muazu, Sabon Gari, Unguwan Sanusi and Rigasa under Rigasa Area Office and customers in Mando”, the company said in a statement issued by Abdulazeez Abdullahi, the Head Corporate of Communications of the company.
He explained that the inadequate supply was to maintain the right frequency that will stabilise the national grid by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).
According to him, to avoid a collapse of the national grid, the TCN has shut down the 33KV Kinkinau injection substation that feeds two 11KV feeders supplying electricity to the affected areas.
Abdullah added that the challenge of inadequate power generation nationwide accentuated the problem.
He said that the company’s team of engineers were working closely with TCN to find lasting solution to the problem and improve supply to the affected communities.
“We are confident that the supply situation will improve as soon as possible.
“We appeal to our customers to channel all complaints and inquiries with regards these challenges to their respective area offices where they will be attended to by our customer care representatives”, he added.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
South Africans To Pay 18% More For Electricity In April Amidst Power Crisis
South Africans will, from April this year, pay about 18 per cent more for electricity despite the rolling power supply crisis in the country.
This is because the country’s electricity regulator, NERSA, has agreed to an 18.65 per cent increase in electricity tariffs as requested by Eskom.
According to a report filed by News24, Eskom had applied for a 32 per cent tariff increase for the 2023/24 year, which is expected to start in April.
The report said in the same tariff application, the cash-strapped power utility applied for a further 22.52 per cent increase for 2024/25.
The report said NERSA granted Eskom a 12.74 per cent tariff increase for 2024/2025.
The regulator said the “extremely difficult decision” sought to balance the needs of Eskom and consumers.
A court order required NERSA to make a final decision on the tariff by 24th December, but the regulator was granted an extension to Thursday, 12th January after its Electricity Subcommittee required more time to deliberate on 14 areas of concern.
Eskom, which implemented continuous Stage 6 load shedding this week, was motivated by large tariff hikes on the back of rising diesel costs.
The utility spent R15 billion on diesel in the 2021/22 financial year–some R9 billion more than what NERSA would allow it to recover through electricity tariffs for that year.
Eskom recently reported a loss of R12.3 billion for the year ended in March 2022.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Ghana: Angry Workers Of Ghana Gas Draw ‘Daggers’ At Energy Ministry For Accusing Their CEO
The battle between the Ghana Gas Senior Staff Association and the Minister for Energy, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh who supervises all the energy sector agencies, is not likely to end anytime soon if President Akufo-Addo fails to act.
In an attempt to absorb the West African nation’s Energy Minister of the blame for allegedly approving a deal for a private firm, Genser Energy, to construct a gas processing plant to compete with state-owned Ghana National Gas Company, the Energy Ministry, in a press statement issued by the Communications & Public Affairs Unit, dogged the issues raised by the Ghana Gas Senior Staff Association and rather accused the CEO of Ghana Gas of misleading the workers.
The statement claimed that the Minister had not signed any contract with Genser Energy noting that “the only contract signed with Genser on record is by Ghana National Gas Company and GNPC.
“The contract between GENSER & GNGC predates the Minister’s tenure at the Ministry of Energy and was signed on behalf of the GNGC by Dr Ben Asante, its CEO and the Ministry duly informed,” the Ministry said.
However, the response of the Ministry appears to be introducing an issue that is not the subject matter of the statement by the Ghana Gas Senior Staff Association.
While the Ministry’s response was on the Gas Sale agreement signed by GNGC and GNPC with Genser Energy, the Senior Staff Association of Ghana was rather talking about the Minister approving a deal for Genser Energy to construct a new gas processing plant to compete with Ghana Gas.
In a statement with the heading: ‘Rejoinder-Re: Overturn Napo’s Approval of Genser Deal—Ghana Gas Workers Urge Akufo-Addo’, it said the attention of the Ghana Gas Senior Staff Association (GGSSA) has been drawn to a rather surreptitious response to our press release with a wrong subject title.
Referring to their earlier press release, the Association said, “Nowhere did we accuse the Ministry of Energy of signing any contract between Ghana Gas and Genser, but rather, as the head of supervising authority, approved a deal that puts the nation’s energy security primary asset (which is a national security issue) to 100 per cent control of the private entity, without recourse to industry players consultation, let alone CSO and Parliament.
“We challenge the Ministry of Energy to publish the report to the Presidency on this matter which is of public interest, and also indicate when Parliament will complete the investigation referenced,’’ the Association demanded.
They called on Parliament to set up an Expert Advisory Committee including IMANI Africa, ACEP and the Utility agencies to vet their position on the matter.
Stating the innocence of Dr. Benjamin Asante, the Ghana Gas Senior Staff Association asserted that “GGSSA is an independent body from the Board and the Management of Ghana Gas.”
According to the Association, “Our press release was not directed from the CEO neither was it influenced by the CEO. The SSA of Ghana Gas humbly wants the Ministry of Energy to stick to the issues raised. We entreat the general public and the media particularly to take this matter seriously, just like ‘Dumsor’, for the implications are far worse.”
The Association said it is ever ready to have a civil discussion to ensure the country’s primary energy asset is not compromised.
“We are not against private entity engagement, but to hand over a juicy primary asset, 100 per cent to the private entity is too much of sovereign risk and operational risk to the country and Utility agencies,’’ they said.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Ghana: GRIDCo Management Engages Executives Of Staff Association
The leadership of Ghana Grid Company Limited, (GRIDCo) has engaged newly elected National Executives of the company’s Senior Staff Association and Divisional Union at the head office in Tema.
This forms part of a series of stakeholder engagements led by Chief Executive Officer, Ing Ebenezer Kofi Essienyi.
According to a post on GRIDCo’s Facebook page sighted by energynewsafrica.com, Ing Essienyi congratulated the newly elected leaders and noted that both staff groups and management need to stand up peacefully to succeed in building a sustainable work environment for GRIDCo.
Present at the meeting was the Senior Staff Association and Divisional Union chairmen, Mr Wisdom Adenyo and Mr Francis Adjartey.
GRIDCo operates the National Interconnected Transmission System (NITS).
Meanwhile, the Management of GRIDCo has paid a visit to Accra and Akosombo area offices to interact with staff as part of the company’s annual Operational Area tour.
The GRIDCo Management, led by the Chief Executive, Ing Ebenezer Essienyi, was received at the Achimota-substation by the Area Manager, Ing Benjamin Ahunu, and his team of engineers.
Ing. Ebenezer Essienyi commended the staff for their punctuality and encouraged them to work harder for a better GRIDCo.
During a visit to the Akosombo Area, Ing Job Aziaku, the Akosombo Area Manager, and the staff of the area received the Management.
Ing. Essienyi commended the Akosombo Area for using only internal technical and engineering expertise on the nearly completed Asiekpe Substation Project.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Meanwhile, the Management of GRIDCo has paid a visit to Accra and Akosombo area offices to interact with staff as part of the company’s annual Operational Area tour.
The GRIDCo Management, led by the Chief Executive, Ing Ebenezer Essienyi, was received at the Achimota-substation by the Area Manager, Ing Benjamin Ahunu, and his team of engineers.
Ing. Ebenezer Essienyi commended the staff for their punctuality and encouraged them to work harder for a better GRIDCo.
During a visit to the Akosombo Area, Ing Job Aziaku, the Akosombo Area Manager, and the staff of the area received the Management.
Ing. Essienyi commended the Akosombo Area for using only internal technical and engineering expertise on the nearly completed Asiekpe Substation Project.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Ghana: Breaking News: NPA Revokes Licenses Of 30 Oil Companies
Ghana’s downstream petroleum regulator, National Petroleum Authority NPA has revoked the licenses of about thirty oil marketing companies for non-compliance with the rules and regulations of the Authority on acquisition and maintenance of their licenses.
The move is part of efforts of the regulator to sanitise the downstream petroleum sector.
The affected companies are Abagurugu Oil Company Limited; Apex Petroleum Ghana Limited; Avos Oil Company Limited; Best Petroleum Limited; Bisvel Petroleum Services; Capstone Oil Limited; Deep Petroleum Limited; Deliman & Company Ltd.; Glee Oil Limited, and Golden Petroleum Limited.
Others are Green Petroleum Limited; Hak Oil Company Limited; Havilah Oil Ghana Limited; Hossana Oil Company Limited; Jas Petroleum Limited; Lilygold Energy Resources Limited; M3 Global Company Limited; Maiga & Hhm Company Limited; Mba Global Petroleum Limited, and Peta Energy Limited.
The rest are Petro Afrique Ghana Limited; Precious Energy Ghana Limited; Q8 Oil (Gh.) Company Limited; Rigworld Petroleum Services Limited; Royal Roses Oil Company Limited; Titan Petroleum Limited; Union Oil Ghana Limited; Universal Oil Company Limited; Warren Oil Company Limited, and Zoe Petroleum Limited.
At an earlier meeting with the Board members of the Association of Oil Marketing Companies (AOMCs), the Chief Executive of the NPA, Dr. Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, cautioned that the Authority would not hesitate to revoke the licenses of industry players who continually flout the rules.
He indicated that over the years, the NPA had been lenient with industry players who flout the rules, which had given opportunity for many more to flout the rules with impunity.
“We cannot all be in a conspiracy to run down our country and yet turn round to and blame the government for what goes wrong”, Dr. Abdul-Hamid was quoted as saying at the meeting with Board members.
He told the oil marketers that it was in their own interest that the market was regulated properly, because if the industry collapsed their businesses would also collapse.
Below is the list of companies whose licenses have been revoked.
Sweden Makes Regulatory Push To Allow New Nuclear Reactors
Sweden is preparing legislation to allow the construction of more nuclear power stations to boost electricity production in the Nordic country and bolster energy security, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said on Wednesday.
Kristersson has made expanding nuclear power generation a key goal for his right-wing government, seeking to reverse a process of gradual closures of several reactors in the past couple of decades that has left the country relying more heavily on renewable but sometimes less predictable energy.
Sweden’s energy mix consists mainly of nuclear, hydro and renewables and while it so far has been less affected by the turmoil surrounding gas supplies due to Russia’s standoff with the West, electricity prices have been high and volatile since Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine.
The proposed new legislation, which still needs to be passed by parliament, would allow new reactors to be constructed at additional locations across Sweden and was seen being in place in March next year.
“We have an obvious need for more electricity production in Sweden,” Kristersson told a news conference.
“What we are doing today is changing legislation to allow for the construction of more nuclear reactors at more places.”
The new legislation would scrap existing rules that caps the total number of reactors at ten and prohibits reactor construction in other locations than where they currently exist, opening the door to building smaller reactors that many see as the most cost-effective nuclear option.
Any expansion of nuclear power in Sweden could take many years given the complexity of such projects while energy demand is expected to rise sharply in coming years.
Sweden currently has six operational reactors, half of what it once had, and temporary closures for maintenance of some of them have contributed to push up electricity prices in the Nordic country in recent months.
Source: Reuters
Libyan Court Suspends Controversial Oil And Gas Deal With Turkey
A Libyan court has suspended a deal for offshore oil and gas exploration that Libya and Turkey inked last year, a deal which sparked outrage from neighbors Egypt and Greece.
The deal concerned waters that Libya and Turkey have declared to be theirs but that are disputed by Egypt and Greece, Reuters noted in a report on the news that cited an unnamed source.
The Libyan government can appeal the ruling, the source also told Reuters.
Greece’s Permanent Representative at the UN, Maria Theofili described the deal as one “violating the sovereign rights of Greece, is a violation of international law and a deliberate escalation that undermines stability in the region.”
The deal, signed in October last year, followed an earlier, security agreement, inked in 2019, that demarcated the maritime border between Libya and Turkey—the same demarcation that angered Egypt and Greece.
“We’ve signed a memorandum of understanding on exploration for hydrocarbons in Libya’s territorial waters and on Libyan soil, by mixed Turkish-Libyan companies,” the foreign minister of Turkey, Mevlut Cavusoglu said at the time, as quoted by the AFP.
The official noted, then, that the deal is only between Libya and Turkey, “two sovereign countries — its win-win for both and other countries have no right to interfere”.
The eastern Mediterranean was put in the spotlight by a series of large gas discoveries off the coast of Israel in the past decade or so, as well as discoveries in Turkish and Cypriot waters. The potential of the region has become particularly relevant now when Europe is looking for new sources of gas.
At the same time, the events around the deal with Turkey had contributed to the deterioration of the internal political situation in Libya, as Ankara signed its deals with the Government of National Unity—the entity recognized by the UN but not by rival political factions in Libya itself.
Source: Oilprice.com
Ghana: WAPCo To Shutdown Its Takoradi Facility For 10-Day Maintenance
The West African Gas Pipeline Company Limited (WAPCo) has announced that it will shut down its Takoradi Regulating and Metering Station from Thursday, 12th January to Sunday 22nd January 2023 to undertake a 10-day coordinated and planned maintenance of the facility.
A statement issued by the company explained that the shutdown is to allow for the replacement of some critical valves at the facility aimed at securing the safety and integrity of the Takoradi Station.
This means there would be no gas transportation from the Takoradi facility to customers in the Tema power enclave during the period of the shutdown.
However, WAPCO said it would continue to deliver gas from Nigeria to Tema based on volumes agreed between the customer and the shipper.
The shutdown is supported by the Ministry of Energy (MoE) and coordinated with Ghana Grid Company Ltd (GRIDCo), the Volta River Authority (VRA), the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and other key stakeholders to minimise the impact of the shutdown on communities that rely on power generated from cleaner and more efficient gas transported through the West African Gas Pipeline (WAGP).
“WAPCo wishes to apologise to its customers in Tema for the inconvenience that may be caused by the planned shutdown. We will work collaboratively with our contractors to ensure that the shutdown activities are safely executed and within the timeline stated herein. The gas supply would be immediately restored after the completion of the maintenance works and commissioning of the Takoradi facility,” the company said.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Ghana: Energy Minister In Hot Waters Over Genser Energy Deal…But Energy Ministry Denies Accusation And Blames Dr Asante
Ghana’s Minister for Energy, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, has found himself in hot waters as the Senior Staff Association of Ghana National Gas Company is chasing him for allegedly approving a deal for a private energy firm, Genser Energy, to establish a gas processing plant in the Western Region to compete with the state-owned gas company.
The Minister’s alleged decision, according to the Senior Staff Association of Ghana Gas, amounts to stabbing President Akufo-Addo in the back as the President, last year, tasked Ghana Gas, the West African nation’s national gas aggregator, to establish a second gas processing plant to process more gas for electricity generation and domestic consumption.
In June 2021, the CEO of Ghana Gas, Dr Benjamin K.D. Asante announced that the company was going to start the construction of an additional gas processing plant to increase the capacity of their gas processing plant from 150mmscfd to 240mmscfd.
The company has since started the processes for the construction of the second gas processing plant.
However, a statement issued by the Senior Staff Association of Ghana Gas on Monday, 9th January 2023, revealed that the Minister for Energy, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, has approved a deal for Genser to establish a gas processing plant against President Akufo-Addo’s plan.
The workers expressed unhappiness about how the Minister is handling the issue of the concurrent existence of Genser Energy Ghana Limited’s Gas Conditioning Plant and Ghana Gas’ Gas Processing Plant Train 2.
According to them, Ghana Gas had the backing of former Ministers for its indigenisation agenda and wondered why the Minister is seeking to cripple the company.
The workers argued that Ghana Gas is 100 per cent owned by the state while Genser is known to have about 90 per cent of its shares owned by foreigners.
They stated that the company repatriates over 80 per cent of its revenue to South Africa.
“It baffles the mind of workers of Ghana Gas for any Minister of State to do the bidding of Genser at the expense of a state-owned company,” the workers said in the statement signed by Richmond Alamu, Chairman of the Senior Staff Association of Ghana Gas.
“Having analysed the issues and information gathered from the Ministry of Energy, the Senior Staff Association of Ghana Gas is convinced that the sector Minister is bent on pushing this Genser deal despite several calls from sister companies including VRA, GRIDCO and ECG (whose operations have also been taken over in the mining sector in the west by Genser) that this Genser deal will gradually collapse state-owned companies. Again, the workers of Ghana Gas feel betrayed by the Energy Minister because in 2020, during the covid 19 pandemic and months before the elections, the then Minister, through the board and management of Ghana Gas, challenged the workers to work more than 200 per cent of their normal working hours through risky moments to ensure continuous availability of power despite the health risk those moments posed.
They, thereby, consider the sector Minister’s current posturing as a stab in the back given all the efforts being made by Ghana Gas to support the sector,” they said.
Concluding, the workers called on the Presidency to intervene, since the President’s dream of having a second Gas Processing Plant is on the line.
When contacted by the energynewsafrica.com, via telephone, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, who is currently out of the country, said, “Discount the story.”
Meanwhile, a statement issued by the communication department of the Ministry has denied claims by the Senior Staff Association of Ghana Gas.
The Ministry stated that the sector Minister has not signed any contract with Genser Energy.
The Ministry accused the CEO of Ghana Gas of misleading the company’s Senior Staff Association.
This portal has attempted to reach the CEO of Ghana Gas for his comments but it has not been successful.
The Ministry’s response, according to sources, has angered staff of Ghana Gas who are privy to the deal.
Some civil society groups have also expressed worry about the issue.
It would be recalled that last year, the African Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP) and IMANI Africa raised concerns about how the Minister approved a request by GNPC to sell gas to Genser Energy cheaply.
The Parliamentary Select Committee on Mines and Energy, according to the Ranking Member, John Abdulai Jinapor, had concluded an investigation into that transaction but the report is yet to be put before the Chamber.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Ghana: Fuel Adulteration, Other Illegal Activities Reduced To 1.6%—Says NPA CEO
Ghana is on the path of completely stamping out illegal activities in the downstream petroleum industry, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NPA, Dr Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, has said.
A few years ago, the West African nation’s petroleum downstream was saddled with illegal activities including fuel adulteration, fuel smuggling, tax evasion and third-party trading among others.
A section of industry players, especially those who were compliant were worried over the sad development and called on the regulator to act to stem the bad practices.
Luckily, the situation has changed as a result of a commitment by the regulator to deal with the situation.
Speaking to a section of Ghanaian journalists recently to update them on the activities of NPA in 2022, the CEO of NPA, Dr Mustapha Abdul-Hamid revealed that the effort of the Authority has helped to reduce illegal activities in the petroleum downstream sector.
He said since 2015, the NPA had worked tirelessly, thus, leading to a drastic reduction in fuel adulteration and fuel smuggling.
“We have been able to drastically reduce the incident of fuel smuggling, adulteration etc. Since 2015, adulteration figures have reduced from 32% to 1.6%.
“We are confident that we will be more vigilant and be able to stamp out the issue of fuel adulteration,” Dr Abdul-Hamid said.
The NPA’s CEO also updated the press on the Cylinder Recirculation Model (CRM) programme.
He said the programme was to commence fully in 2022 but due to some challenges, the Authority had rescheduled the full implementation to this year.
Dr. Mustapha Abdul-Hamid said GOIL had assured his outfit of their LPG Bottling plant, which is under construction and would commence operations in the first quarter of this year.
He said the CRM programme would commence fully once the LPG bottling plant starts operating.
Ghana, through the NPA, introduced the Cylinder Recirculation Model Programme to address rampant gas explosions following the Atomic Junction Gas explosion incident in October 2017.
Under the policy, all the current LPG retail outlets would be converted to LPG distribution centres where consumers could go with empty cylinders to exchange for ones that are already filled from the bottling plant.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
“We are confident that we will be more vigilant and be able to stamp out the issue of fuel adulteration,” Dr Abdul-Hamid said.
The NPA’s CEO also updated the press on the Cylinder Recirculation Model (CRM) programme.
He said the programme was to commence fully in 2022 but due to some challenges, the Authority had rescheduled the full implementation to this year.
Dr. Mustapha Abdul-Hamid said GOIL had assured his outfit of their LPG Bottling plant, which is under construction and would commence operations in the first quarter of this year.
He said the CRM programme would commence fully once the LPG bottling plant starts operating.
Ghana, through the NPA, introduced the Cylinder Recirculation Model Programme to address rampant gas explosions following the Atomic Junction Gas explosion incident in October 2017.
Under the policy, all the current LPG retail outlets would be converted to LPG distribution centres where consumers could go with empty cylinders to exchange for ones that are already filled from the bottling plant.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Ghana: Tears Flow As Boy Electrocuted In Prestea Area
Residents of Beppoh in the Prestea Huni Valley Municipality in the Western Region in the Republic of Ghana were on Saturday thrown into a state of mourning when a 10-year-old boy was electrocuted.
The deceased, a primary 4 pupil, was said to be playing with his friends when he came into contact with a live electrical wire on the ground.
According to a story filed by Otec News, a local radio station, the Assembly Member for the Beppoh Electoral Area, Thomas Kofi Enyam, who confirmed the sad incident, said the boy got electrocuted after inserting the live wire into his mouth.
He was pronounced dead upon arrival at the Beppoh CHPS compound.
According to the Assembly Member, the live wire was a connection between two stores, which fell off some days ago and was left unattended to.
The case has been reported to the police but no arrest has been made yet.
The deceased has since been deposited at the Bawdie morgue pending autopsy
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Zambia: Zesco Staggers Load Shedding Outage Period
Zambia’s power utility company, Zesco Limited, has restructured its load shedding exercise by staggering each outage to a minimum of six-hour period.
The company said it will stagger the current 12 hours’ load shedding exercise into six-hour intervals with a 6-hour break.
“The changed schedules are intended to provide customers some relief and will take effect on Monday, 9th January 2023 until further notice,” a statement issued by the company said.
Zesco encouraged customers to look out for updated load shedding schedules in the print media and its website for regular updates.
As a safety precaution, Zesco advised customers to treat all supply lines to be live as power may be restored before the schedule time.
The company commenced load shedding exercise last Tuesday 3rd January 2023 owing to the reduced water levels in the Kariba Reservoir for electricity generation at the Kariba North Bank Power Station.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com