Liberians Cry Over Rising Fuel Prices, But Government Says Increment Is Motivated By External Factors
Liberians have been lamenting over the rising cost of petrol and diesel at the pumps.
A gallon of gasoline is now $5.66 while diesel is sold at $6.00
According to Liberians, the current fuel prices have brought untold hardships on them and want the government to do something about it immediately.
However, responding to concerns being expressed by the citizens, the Government of Liberia indicated that the recent decision to set a new price structure for petroleum products in the country was not arbitrary, but one motivated by external factors.
Liberia’s Minister for Information, Ledgerhood J. Rennie, at a press briefing, said the government acknowledges that the increment is “hard to bite down,” but it is necessary to ensure the constant availability of the products on the market and the stability of the price.
“We are hoping that in the next month or so, we can revisit the decision and there can be a decrease,” Minister Rennie said.
He explained that the government is aware that the cost of petroleum could hurt the general price level, which is why it is planning to revisit the new price structure in the “soonest possible time.”
He frowned on profiteering and hoarding of the products by some unscrupulous people, warning that anyone caught in the acts would be dealt with by the full weight of the law.
The Information Minister said the relevant government agencies are working to announce fixed fares for transportation to various locations within 48 hours to avoid hiking the cost.
He warned commercial drivers against overcharging passengers.
The Deputy Managing Director of the Liberian Petroleum Refining Company, Adrian Hoff, who was at the press briefing, also said importers of petroleum products in the country operate under a Collateral Management Agreement (CMA) that allows them to order products in the country without initially paying cash to the major international suppliers.
But he said, once in the country, for products to be lifted from the LPRC storage facility each day and taken to the market, the Liberian importers would have to pay per consignment at the prevailing global rate–thus their clamour for a price increment.
Mr Hoff said the Weah-administration has made tough decisions in the past to avoid increasing the cost of petroleum products by cutting levies.
“We have met with the President and his biggest concern has been ‘don’t increase the price’.“
Both men said the prices of gasoline and diesel in Liberia is lower than in many countries in the subregion.
They urged Liberians to make some adjustments to conform to the current global reality as the government continues discussions with importers so that the brunt of the problem is not felt by Liberians.
Ghana: NEDCo Staff Suspend Withdrawal Of Field Services As PURC Steps In
Workers of the Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo) in the Republic of Ghana have suspended the withdrawal of their field services in Tamale and its environs for two weeks pending the resolutions of their grievances.
The suspension of the field services follows the intervention of the Executive Secretary of Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC), Dr Ishmael Ackah, and the Northern Regional Minister Shani Alhassan Saibu.
In a statement issued by Maxwell Kotoka, Corporate Communication Manager of NEDCo to announce the decision of the workers said the workers are demanding the arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators of the machete attacks on the NEDCo team that was on official duty at Korblimahago on Tuesday, March 8, 2022.
The staff also demanded the provision of military cover for their field operations, especially those that hinge on revenue collection and protection namely, disconnection, monitoring for power theft and Installation of Smart Pre-Payment meters.
The staff further demanded the deepening of ongoing community engagement aimed at community ownership of the security of NEDCo staff while they are on the field embarking on their legitimate duties.
The statement said while Management wished to assure the general public that it would not rest on its oars in getting the suspension converted to permanent closure, “we wish to court public support and protection of NEDCo staff while they are about their legitimate field duties.
“The cardinal part of NEDCo staff field operations is to prevent or arrest power theft and installation of Smart Pre-Payment meters which has proven to be less susceptible to manipulation and power theft.
“We need your unflinching support to continue to serve you dutifully and in harmony,” NEDCo Management urged Tamale residents.
The statement commended the efforts of all those who contributed to the resolution of the impasse.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Nigeria: Manufacturers Lament Over Rising Fuel Prices, Power Outages; Seek Buhari’s Intervention
Nigerian manufacturers are lamenting over the rising cost of fuel in the West African nation with a call on the Federal Government to cushion them as a litre of diesel is now sold at N720 (an equivalent of $1.73).
According to the Manufacturers Association, it is getting extremely difficult to produce to serve the country in the face of fuel hikes coupled with load shedding.
“There is no power supply. We are having 30 per cent of what it used to be, whereas the disposable income of people is not increasing and the cost of products is going up.
“Even in my factory now, we are only running one shift instead of three shifts of eight hours each. Other businesses are also running limited hours on diesel as they cannot afford to use generators all day,” Mr Lanre Popoola, Chairman of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Oyo, Osun, Ekiti and Ondo branches said in an interview with the media.
According to him, if the situation persisted, it could lead to bigger issues that would further affect the nation’s economy and increase the hardship of Nigerians.
He told the press that “The worst part is that diesel suppliers cannot agree for organisations to make a flexible payment plan such as instalments, while they deliver the products in trust.
“They cannot, again, supply you with diesel and allow you to pay in two weeks. It is either you do cash and carry, or pay ahead because they too cannot predict the cost of the product.
“And I don’t blame them. Imagine you bought diesel last week at N630 per litre and the next day it is sold for N730 per litre. How will you replace your stock,” he said.
Popoola stated that the way forward was for the government to assist manufacturers by giving some rebate on diesel, adding that, that was the only lifeline.
“Aside from manufacturers, for transporters that are bringing food from the North or taking products to the East or Lagos, now the cost of their logistics would have doubled by 100 per cent if not 200 per cent.
“Maybe the government can come in and do a kind of palliative for us. It is either we have light 24 hours per week to run our factories or do a palliative on diesel.
“But unfortunately, we don’t produce diesel in this country. If the refineries are working, it is a different ball game: the country would have had it better now if the refineries are working.
“So the more the international prices of petroleum products go up, the higher the prices of what we are going to get from them,” Popoola explained.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Ghana: MiDA Installs 393 Transformers In 53 Towns, Communities To Improve Power Quality
The Millennium Development Authority (MiDA) has installed 393 new transformers of various capacities and replaced over 88 over-aged ones in 53 towns and communities in six operational districts of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG).
The six districts are Achimota, Dansoman, Akuapim-Mampong, Legon, Kwabenya and Kaneshie Districts.
Since the installation of the new transformers, power supply has improved significantly, leading to reduction in outages.
In a statement issued by MiDA, it said almost 600,000 residents, comprising businesses and homes in the six districts are benefiting from the project referred to as the Low Voltage (LV) Bifurcation & Network Improvement Project.
The project includes planting over 17,000 wooden electric poles across the six districts, upgrading about 992km of undersized conductors or lines, and installing 75km of new low voltage lines.
Prior to the inception of the project, MiDA said residents in the aforementioned districts experienced low and fluctuating voltages which manifested in dim lights and caused damage to electrical appliances.
They also suffered frequent power outages caused by overloading in transformers and conductors that served these communities.
According to Roland Osei Nyarko, the LV Bifurcation Project Manager at MiDA, “Some of the residents observed that their lights are now brighter and more stable, and that they are now able to use all their electrical appliances anytime of the day.”
This, he said, implied that they are noticing the improvements and impact of the project.
He said that the project is expected to eventually contribute to improved incomes for the beneficiary residents, enhance job opportunities and the wellbeing of the people, and contribute towards Ghana’s efforts at reducing poverty and increasing economic growth.
The LV Bifurcation & Network Improvement Project aims to improve the quality of power supply by transferring load from existing overloaded electricity conductors and transformers to newly installed ones.
Construction activities in the Achimota, Dansoman, Kaneshie, Akuapem-Mampong and Kwabenya Districts have been fully-completed.
MiDA said activities in the Legon District, which are 85 per cent complete, are scheduled to be fully-completed in May 2022.
The contractors undertaking the project are Messrs. Power Factor Ltd, Best & Crompton Engineering Ghana Ltd, and MBH Power Ltd.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Nigeria: Let’s Fix Power Sector Devoid Of Blame Games-APGC Tells Nigerian Gov’t
Power Generation Companies (GenCos) in the Republic of Nigeria have called on government agencies in the power sector to desist from engaging in blame game and put their heads together with the private sector to resolve the myriads of challenges in the sector to ensure reliable and quality power supply to the citizens.
The West African nation has been experiencing a power crisis for several years.
The situation has been compounded by the persistent collapse of the transmission grid operated by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).
Last week, TCN sought to absorb itself of blame and rather blamed the power sector challenges in the country on low generation from the power generation companies.
In a sharp rebuttal, the Association of Power Generation Companies, at a press conference addressed by its Executive Secretary, Dr Joy Ogaji, urged TCN to stop the blame game else the power sector would continue to suffer.
“Gencos have been under the excruciating impact of several factors but have in an uncommon show of patriotism and resilience continued to generate power to meet the genuine yearnings of Nigerians as well as support to the stated objective of the Federal Government to make sustainable electricity available to Nigerians,” she said.
According to the group, lack of liquidity caused by the huge sums owned Gencos by the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Pic (NBET) has more than ever before continued to frustrate the Gencos and kept them incapable of meeting their obligations which are extremely necessary to keep their power plant running and make capacities available while observing required Health Safely and Environment (HSF) Standards.
Again, APGC pointed out that 80 per cent of most of the electricity generation in Nigeria comes from gas-fired turbines, and natural gas is the feedback or fuel of these unending gas-related challenges which inhibit optimal power generation in the country.
To address this challenge, the group pointed out the unenforceable state of the contracts in the NESI and the broken cycle of payment assurance which has made the enforcement of parties to the industry agreement impossible.
They furthermore stressed that since 2013, when the power sector was partially privatised to date, weak and inadequate infrastructure (transmission and distribution) have continued to render inconsequential, a significant portion of the generation capacities.
They said that while Gencos are committed to increasing generation capacities to 13,000MW across the country, no corresponding investment and improvement was made at the transmission and distribution end.
Members of the Nigerian power generation companies pointed out that the restriction or redefinition of available generation capacity, a major index of the MYTO to only what the system can take or pay, is a major aberration.
“This is because the Gencos worked with available capacity as the basis for determination capacity payments,” the group said.
The group said that the government must stop playing to the gallery and rather focus on addressing the real issues of NESI, asking if the reported low generation of the past few weeks, which in their view is only symptomatic of more fundamental issues of the power sector, is focused on and addressed from a narrow perspective of blaming the Gencos for same, then, the solution cannot be found.
APGC concluded by stressing that they have consistently demonstrated their commitment to Nigeria, Nigerians and the power sector and “We have continued to make huge sacrifices and bear inestimable losses in our bid to see to a viral and thriving power sector in Nigeria”.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Ghana: Veep Charges NPA To Implement Measures To Rake In More Revenue
The Vice President of Ghana, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has charged the governing Board of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) to support management to implement measures aimed at increasing revenue for the state.
The NPA was established by Act 2005, Act 691 to monitor and regulate petroleum prices by the prescribed pricing formula, grant licences to service providers and marketing companies, protect consumers’ interests and maintain the highest standards of petroleum products offered to them.
In a post on NPA’s Facebook and sighted by energynewsafrica.com, it said the Governing Board of the National Petroleum Authority, led by the Chairman, Mr Joe Addo-Yobo, called on the Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia at the Jubilee House on Tuesday, to brief the latter on matters such as steps taken to sanitise the downstream petroleum industry including digitisation in some aspects of the operations of the Authority and applying disciplinary sanctions to Oil Marketing Companies involved in illegalities among others.
“The Vice President commended the Board for their efforts and charged them to continue to implement measures aimed at increasing revenue for the state,” it said.
The NPA recently announced the creation of offices of deputy CEOs and appointed Mr. Perry Okudzeto and Mrs Linda Asante as the first deputy CEOs since the establishment of the Authority.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
PURC Boss Presents Paper At The 2022 Commonwealth Science Conference In Accra
The Executive Secretary of the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC), Dr. Ishmael Ackah, on Monday, 14th March 2022, presented a paper at a three-day Commonwealth Science Conference, Sub-Sahara Africa Follow-on Meeting held in Accra, capital of Ghana.
The 3-day conference, which took place from 14th-16 of March 2022, was held at the Academy of Arts and Sciences at which programme , the Executive Secretary of the Commission presented a paper on the ‘Political Economy of the Energy Transition’.
The Energy Economist, in his presentation, hinted that Africa’s energy apart from South Africa, the continent of Africa’s energy mix is dominated by hydro technology.
He also noted that economies such as Nigeria and Angola are structured around the oil and gas industry , with oil contributing to about 70 per cent of government revenues in Angola.
He emphasised that petroleum revenues have been used for investments, social interventions and debt repayment.
For instance, oil revenues in Ghana contribute substantially to the Free Senior High School Initiative which was rolled by the Government as part of the human capital development strategy.
He pointed out that, approximately 730million people in Sub-Saharan Africa rely on the traditional use of solid biomass, mainly fuelwood, charcoal and dung for cooking, typically with inefficient stoves or simple three-stone fires, in poorly ventilated spaced.
He was quick to add that transition implies diversified and competitively priced energy sources which will address the continent’s need for industrialisation and access in an environmentally sustainable manner.
In his view, there should be research, capital injection, resource base and good governance to achieve this.
Referring to 2021 UNESCO report, he indicated that Africa’s gross expenditure on research as a proportion of GDP averages 0.5 per cent compared to the world average of 2.2 per cent. There is no known country in Africa that is spending one per cent of its GDP on research.
Dr. Ackah said in his presentation that while some Sub-Saharan African countries lack reliable electricity infrastructure, there is a potential opportunity to develop this infrastructure in a more sustainable way other than countries have done in the past through a move towards national electrification.
He said countries that can provide, carbon free generation could benefit from abundant solar and wind resources.
He noted that these can be financed investing in cost-reducing technologies, adopting a pay-as-you-go arrangement to help spread upfront cost of renewable energy technologies, structuring payments for new renewable energy technologies so that they are similar to costs of the energy sources they are replacing.
Additionally, collaborative investments, with the active engagement of local investments as well as alternative financing sources such as bonds, enhanced refinancing opportunities could all be considered.
In the area of governance, Dr Ackah stated that setting in place right regulatory policies and institutional frameworks can lead to unbundling electricity service provision and the opening up of competition in the sector.
Setting multi-year tariffs with adjustment clauses, clear renewable energy targets, which align with climate and sustainability targets, together with a clear and transparent procurement processes will all aid in providing a transparent and accountable governance process.
The provision of information through public education , dissemination of research findings and strengthening of technical capacity to build domestic innovative capabilities, including skills set for installing, maintaining and repairing renewable energy technologies, and engaging with local communities including women, in training and maintenance of these systems will go a long way in transitioning energy divide.
He intimated that the natural gas is a good transbridger fuel. In his estimation gas is a clean source of energy and a good complement to renewables.
Natural gas can support the economic transformation of the continent through chemical production, fertilizer manufacturing, cement, and clean cooking fuels. Thus, leaving natural gas on the ground will just delay or deny Africa’s chance of industrialising.
Dr. Ackah concluded by saying tat Africa needs to be part of the value chain and not a mere consumer of technologies.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
He also noted that economies such as Nigeria and Angola are structured around the oil and gas industry , with oil contributing to about 70 per cent of government revenues in Angola.
He emphasised that petroleum revenues have been used for investments, social interventions and debt repayment.
For instance, oil revenues in Ghana contribute substantially to the Free Senior High School Initiative which was rolled by the Government as part of the human capital development strategy.
He pointed out that, approximately 730million people in Sub-Saharan Africa rely on the traditional use of solid biomass, mainly fuelwood, charcoal and dung for cooking, typically with inefficient stoves or simple three-stone fires, in poorly ventilated spaced.
He was quick to add that transition implies diversified and competitively priced energy sources which will address the continent’s need for industrialisation and access in an environmentally sustainable manner.
In his view, there should be research, capital injection, resource base and good governance to achieve this.
Referring to 2021 UNESCO report, he indicated that Africa’s gross expenditure on research as a proportion of GDP averages 0.5 per cent compared to the world average of 2.2 per cent. There is no known country in Africa that is spending one per cent of its GDP on research.
Dr. Ackah said in his presentation that while some Sub-Saharan African countries lack reliable electricity infrastructure, there is a potential opportunity to develop this infrastructure in a more sustainable way other than countries have done in the past through a move towards national electrification.
He said countries that can provide, carbon free generation could benefit from abundant solar and wind resources.
He noted that these can be financed investing in cost-reducing technologies, adopting a pay-as-you-go arrangement to help spread upfront cost of renewable energy technologies, structuring payments for new renewable energy technologies so that they are similar to costs of the energy sources they are replacing.
Additionally, collaborative investments, with the active engagement of local investments as well as alternative financing sources such as bonds, enhanced refinancing opportunities could all be considered.
In the area of governance, Dr Ackah stated that setting in place right regulatory policies and institutional frameworks can lead to unbundling electricity service provision and the opening up of competition in the sector.
Setting multi-year tariffs with adjustment clauses, clear renewable energy targets, which align with climate and sustainability targets, together with a clear and transparent procurement processes will all aid in providing a transparent and accountable governance process.
The provision of information through public education , dissemination of research findings and strengthening of technical capacity to build domestic innovative capabilities, including skills set for installing, maintaining and repairing renewable energy technologies, and engaging with local communities including women, in training and maintenance of these systems will go a long way in transitioning energy divide.
He intimated that the natural gas is a good transbridger fuel. In his estimation gas is a clean source of energy and a good complement to renewables.
Natural gas can support the economic transformation of the continent through chemical production, fertilizer manufacturing, cement, and clean cooking fuels. Thus, leaving natural gas on the ground will just delay or deny Africa’s chance of industrialising.
Dr. Ackah concluded by saying tat Africa needs to be part of the value chain and not a mere consumer of technologies.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
NGOs Threaten To Sue TotalEnergies If It Doesn’t Exit Russia
Greenpeace France and the local chapter of Friends of the Earth have threatened TotalEnergies with a lawsuit if the supermajor does not pull out from Russia, Reuters has reported, citing a letter by the two non-governmental organizations to TotalEnergies’ chief executive.
The organizations said in their letter that under French criminal law, corporate executives could be held responsible for their companies’ involvement with countries participating in armed conflict, which, according to the two, can constitute complicity in war crimes and crimes against humanity.
“We hereby formally request that you … put an end without delay to your activities connected with the Russian oil and gas market in order to cease any business relationships that may contribute to the commission of serious violations of human rights,” Greenpeace France and Friends of the Earth France wrote.
Two weeks ago, the French supermajor said it would suspend any new investment in Russian energy, but would not exit the country.
TotalEnergies has a 19.4-percent stake in Novatek, the country’s largest private producer of liquefied natural gas. As of 2020, its Russian assets accounted for 24 percent of TotalEnergies’ proven reserves and 17 percent of its oil and gas production, according to Reuters.
“TotalEnergies supports the scope and strength of the sanctions put in place by Europe and will implement them regardless of the consequences (currently being assessed) on its activities in Russia,” the company said in late February.
Before Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth began to exert pressure, an activist shareholder did the same. Clearway Capital last week called on the French company to pull out of Russia, threatening it with a shareholder vote if it refuses to do so.
“We believe there to be a groundswell of support among the company’s shareholder base for decisive action from TotalEnergies,” the founder of Clearway Capital, Gianluca Ferrari, told Reuters.
Source: Oilprice.com
Ghana: Petrol, Diesel To Sell Between GH¢10 & GH¢12 Per Litre
Fuel prices in the Republic of Ghana are likely to cross GH¢9 ($1.25 )per litre in the second pricing window which takes effect from Wednesday, March 16, 2022.
Currently, a litre of both gasoline (petrol) and diesel (gasoil) are sold between GH¢8.22 and GH¢8.50 per litre.
Crude oil prices jumped to a record high on March 7, 2022, with West Texas Intermediate WTI trading at $126 while International Benchmark Brent sold $130 per barrel on the back of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Shockingly, as of Tuesday, both WTI and Brent nosedived to $96.44 per barrel and $98.47 respectively.
Ahead of the second pricing window which begins tomorrow (Wednesday), the Association of Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) in the Republic of Ghana is projecting that a litre of petrol and diesel could be sold between GH¢10 and GH¢12.77.
In a document intercepted by energynewsafrica.com which presents several scenarios, the AOMCs observed that both petrol and diesel could be sold between GH¢10.43 and GH¢12.77 while LPG is likely to sell between GH¢9.88 per kilo and GH¢11.44 per kilo.
Consumers have been lamenting over the rising cost of fuel on the local market.
While some Ghanaians are blaming the government for the incessant increment in fuel prices due to the taxes on the commodity, others believe the government cannot be blamed since crude prices are going up on the international market.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com Ghana: Tullow Plans To Drill Six New Wells In 2022
Tullow Oil plc. has announced drilling about six new wells in Ghana’s offshore oilfield this year.
Per its 2022 outlook, Tullow said it plans to drill three new wells at the Jubilee and three new wells including two strategic wells, at the TEN fields to further define future development plans, as well as investment in infrastructure for the undeveloped Jubilee South-East and North-East areas.
Tullow said it expects to secure a gas commercialisation agreement in Ghana which will come into effect once all foundation gas volumes have been delivered.
Although Tullow did not give a specific month to achieve this, it is anticipated that it would occur before the end of the year.
The oil firm has pegged $350 million for capital expenditure for the year 2022.
Out of this figure, it has allocated $270 million for development in Ghana, $30 million for non-operated portfolios, $5 million in Kenya and $45 million for exploration activities.
Tullow is also aiming to self-operate the Jubilee FPSO from mid-2022 onwards, following the scheduled end of the contract with MODEC.
It is hoped that this would enable the Group to realise further efficiency improvements and cost savings.
“Work plan is in place to progress towards Net Zero target, focusing on gas compression facilities on the Jubilee FPSO,” it said.
The company recently signed an MOU with the Ghana Forestry Commission to identify and develop nature-based carbon offset projects in Ghana to offset hard to abate residual emissions.
Ghana: GOIL Supports Appiatse Explosion Victims
Ghana’s leading indigenous oil marketing company, GOIL Company Limited, has donated quantities of food items and clothing to victims of the Appiatse explosion disaster near Bogoso in the Western Region.
The donation was to assist inhabitants of the community to alleviate their current difficulties, following the recent disaster that resulted in the death of scores of residents.
The items included assorted clothing, food items, detergents and toiletries and educational materials.
Presenting the items, the Head of Administration and Human Resource of GOIL, Mr Martin Olu-Davies expressed GOIL’s sympathies to the community.
He noted that as a responsible Oil Marketing Company operating near the community, it was important to assist the people in their moment of dire need.
The support, he explained, was part of the company’s social intervention strategy to needy communities.
The Municipal Chief Executive of Prestea-Huni Valley, Dr Joseph Dasmani, who received the items, together with NADMO officials, expressed gratitude to GOIL for the donation, which he described as big and timely.
Present at the brief ceremony was GOIL’s Public Relations Manager, Robert Kyere, Baaba Martin-Daniels, Zonal Manager, West of GOIL and the Nana Atta- Kojo Brembi II, the Divisional Chief of the area.
Nigeria: Blackout As National Grid Collapses Second Time In 2022
Nigeria’s national electricity grid has collapsed for the second time in 2022, resulting in blackout across the West African nation.
The grid, which collapsed on Monday, March 14, 2022, has affected many states including Lagos, Enugu, Kaduna, Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo.
Some power distribution companies reached out to their customers by text message to confirm the development.
“Dear esteemed customer, a system collapse occurred on the national grid at 10:40 am today, leading to outages across our network.
“We are working on the situation with our TCN partners and will keep you updated.We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience this may have caused,’’ Eko Electricity Distribution Company said in a text message to customers.
Another disco, Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company, which confirmed the incident to its customer via text message, said: “We regret to inform you that the power outage being experienced in our franchise states is due to system collapse of the national grid which occurred at about 10:40 am.
“Power supply shall be restored as soon as the national grid is powered back. Our sincere apologies for any inconvenience,” the text message concluded.
On its part, the Enugu Electricity Distribution PLC said that the system collapse has affected supply in Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and the Imo States.
The notice signed by EEDC Head, Corporate Communications, Emeka Ezeh, read: “The Enugu Electricity Distribution PLC (EEDC) wishes to inform her esteemed customers in the South-East of a general system collapse which occurred this morning, Monday, 14th March 2022 at 10:40 am.
“This is the reason for the loss of supply currently being experienced across the network.
“Consequently, all our outgoing feeders are out and supply to our customers in Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and the Imo States are affected by this development.”
Some residents who shared their frustration to energynewsafrica.com via WhatsApp said they have been compelled by the circumstances to use gensets.
At the time of filing this report, the grid had still not been restored.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
US Gas Exports Can ‘Easily’ Replace Russian—Says Toby Rice
The global energy market has been suddenly upended by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, but one energy boss says the US could step in and help shore up global supplies.
Toby Rice, who runs the US largest natural gas producer EQT, told the BBC the US could easily replace Russian supply.
“We’ve got the ability to do more, the desire to do more,” Mr Rice said.
He estimated the US has the potential to quadruple its gas output by 2030.
Mr Rice’s declaration that American companies could play a bigger role in providing gas to Europe, comes less than a week after US Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm urged the country’s fuel industry to pump more oil.
“We are on a war footing”, Ms Granholm said. “That means you producing more right now, where and if you can.”
Twice over the past decade, shale producers have unleashed more supply in response to higher prices, drilling so much that prices crashed and many went bankrupt.
Mr Rice explained that today the industry is more cautious: “It’s got to be demand first and not just chasing short term price signal.”
And Pittsburg-based EQT might be able to increase output. But without more pipelines, it can’t send the gas where it’s needed most.
Another obstacle to US ambitions to export more liquefied natural gas is a shortage of export facilities. US terminals are shipping close to all the gas they can.
Before natural gas can be shipped overseas, it needs to go to a special facility where it is cooled to below minus 260 degrees Fahrenheit, turning it to a liquid. Then it can be loaded onto cargo ships.
There are currently eight terminals operating in the United States, with 14 more projects approved for construction.
Mr Rice said political opposition to building pipelines and export facilities – partially driven by environmental concerns – is primarily preventing his industry from helping Europe end its reliance on Russian gas.
Mr Rice called on the Biden administration to streamline the process for getting pipeline projects approved.
He’s looking for a “signal this administration recognizes the American oil and gas industry as a strategic powerhouse.”
Given the Biden administration’s desire to help its allies with its energy problems and oppose Russian aggression, Mr Rice may get what he wants, with US Energy Secretary Granholm saying to oil and gas producers:
“I’m here to extend a hand of partnership.”
Source: BBC