“This is indeed a great milestone for not only KenGen but the rest of Kenyans as far as developing clean energy is concerned. Clean and safe energy is increasingly becoming vital in energy development, and it is through this approach that we shall attain universal access to electricity in our nation and meet key energy needs,” said Uhuru.
While expressing satisfaction with the country’s clean energy development milestones, the Head of State noted that his government has put in place robust plans to ensure the country attains a 100 per cent transition to clean energy by 2030.
During the event, Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Energy, Monica Juma, noted that the Ministry would continue to fulfil its mandate of providing clean and affordable energy for the nation with a focus on countering climate change.
“The completion of this project marks another milestone in Kenya’s efforts towards achieving energy security as well as accelerating economic growth through improved energy access. It represents an important moment in our efforts to reduce the country’s reliance on fossil fuels and create a more sustainable future for us all,” said the CS.
For his part, KenGen Board Chairman, Samson Mwathethe, said: “This project is vital for our nation because considering that adequate supply of electricity is undeniably a primary enabler for our economic development.”
His sentiments were echoed by KenGen Managing Director and CEO, Rebecca Miano, who noted that the company’s geothermal agenda was to increase production in line with the growing demand for power while also ensuring that the business lives up to the expectations of shareholders.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Kenya: More Power For Kenyans As 86MW Geothermal Power Plant Commissioned
Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta has commissioned KenGen’s Olkaria 1 Additional Unit 6 Geothermal power plant, injecting an additional 86 megawatts (MW) into the national grid further advancing Kenya’s green energy agenda.
The power plant propels KenGen’s total installed energy capacity to 1,904MW while its geothermal capacity now stands at 799MW.
Speaking during a brief ceremony to commission the plant, President Uhuru commended the KenGen team and stakeholders involved in undertaking the project which was implemented during the Covid-19 peak periods in 2020 and 2021.
The President noted that the commissioning of the power plants was aligned with the Least Cost Power Development Plan (LCPDP) in support of the Government’s Big Four Agenda.
“This is indeed a great milestone for not only KenGen but the rest of Kenyans as far as developing clean energy is concerned. Clean and safe energy is increasingly becoming vital in energy development, and it is through this approach that we shall attain universal access to electricity in our nation and meet key energy needs,” said Uhuru.
While expressing satisfaction with the country’s clean energy development milestones, the Head of State noted that his government has put in place robust plans to ensure the country attains a 100 per cent transition to clean energy by 2030.
During the event, Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Energy, Monica Juma, noted that the Ministry would continue to fulfil its mandate of providing clean and affordable energy for the nation with a focus on countering climate change.
“The completion of this project marks another milestone in Kenya’s efforts towards achieving energy security as well as accelerating economic growth through improved energy access. It represents an important moment in our efforts to reduce the country’s reliance on fossil fuels and create a more sustainable future for us all,” said the CS.
For his part, KenGen Board Chairman, Samson Mwathethe, said: “This project is vital for our nation because considering that adequate supply of electricity is undeniably a primary enabler for our economic development.”
His sentiments were echoed by KenGen Managing Director and CEO, Rebecca Miano, who noted that the company’s geothermal agenda was to increase production in line with the growing demand for power while also ensuring that the business lives up to the expectations of shareholders.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
“This is indeed a great milestone for not only KenGen but the rest of Kenyans as far as developing clean energy is concerned. Clean and safe energy is increasingly becoming vital in energy development, and it is through this approach that we shall attain universal access to electricity in our nation and meet key energy needs,” said Uhuru.
While expressing satisfaction with the country’s clean energy development milestones, the Head of State noted that his government has put in place robust plans to ensure the country attains a 100 per cent transition to clean energy by 2030.
During the event, Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Energy, Monica Juma, noted that the Ministry would continue to fulfil its mandate of providing clean and affordable energy for the nation with a focus on countering climate change.
“The completion of this project marks another milestone in Kenya’s efforts towards achieving energy security as well as accelerating economic growth through improved energy access. It represents an important moment in our efforts to reduce the country’s reliance on fossil fuels and create a more sustainable future for us all,” said the CS.
For his part, KenGen Board Chairman, Samson Mwathethe, said: “This project is vital for our nation because considering that adequate supply of electricity is undeniably a primary enabler for our economic development.”
His sentiments were echoed by KenGen Managing Director and CEO, Rebecca Miano, who noted that the company’s geothermal agenda was to increase production in line with the growing demand for power while also ensuring that the business lives up to the expectations of shareholders.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Ghana: I Can’t Pay Your Electricity Bills For You-ECG MD To Krobos
The Managing Director of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), Samuel Dubik Masubir Mahama, has told residents of Lower and Manya Krobo in the Eastern Region to be willing to pay for the power they are consuming, saying, he cannot pay for their electricity bills.
Consumers in the area have consumed power to the tune of Gh¢168 million (US$19,622,400 ) for a period of five years without payment.
Led by the United Krobo Foundation, the residents held series of street protests, claiming they were promised free electricity some years ago the by Volta River Authority when the Akosombo Hydro-Electric Power dam was being constructed.
This claim, however, had been shot down by both VRA and the Krobo Traditional Council.
ECG has held series of stakeholders’ engagement in a bid to resolve the impasse by giving the consumers in the Kroboland a period of five years to pay their outstanding debts.
Recently, ECG started the installation of pre-payment meters in the area under the supervision of the military in a bid to curtail continuous accumulation of electricity bills by the residents.
While some have embraced the installation of the pre-payment meters, others are still kicking against it.
Speaking to a section of journalists in Accra, Wednesday, the Managing Director of ECG, Samuel Mahama, said the Krobos’ decision not to pay bills cannot continue to overburden the company and the rest of the population.
According to the ECG MD, ongoing pre-paid meter installations are the only option for the company to recover cost and reduce losses.
“The only reason anyone will refuse the pre-paid meter installation is that the person doesn’t want to pay bills. I can’t pay that bill for them and I know other citizens are also not ready,” he added.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
South Africa: Cyril Ramaphosa Announces Plans To Improve Power Supply
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced plans and interventions to improve the power supply and generate more power for the national grid.
The President held consultations with the government, stakeholders and energy experts outside government to find a collective solution to the energy crisis.
“During the past three weeks, severe load shedding has disrupted all of our lives and caused immense damage to our economy.
“The daily power cuts we have been experiencing have inconvenienced millions of households and have presented huge challenges for businesses,” Ramaphosa said during a press briefing on Monday.
He announced various interventions that the government has developed to respond to the crisis immediately.
Firstly, to improve the performance of Eskom’s existing fleet of power stations.
Secondly, to accelerate the procurement of new generation capacity.
Thirdly, intention to massively increase private investment in generation capacity.
Fourthly, is a design to enable businesses and households to invest in rooftop solar.
Finally, fundamentally transforming the electricity sector and positioning it for future sustainability.
Ramaphosa said over the next 12 months, Eskom would increase its budget towards extensive maintenance of these power stations, adding that the red tape around the procurement of maintenance spare parts would be relaxed.
The long list of measures also includes Eskom importing and purchasing excess power from neighbouring countries in the SADC region, hiring former plant managers who left the power utility and recruiting skilled personnel including former engineers and plant managers to drive Eskom forward, cutting red tape and buying power from private producers.
After years of state capture and mismanagement, a capable and effective management team is working hard to turn the utility around and reverse years of decay, Ramaphosa said.
However, he cautioned, as things stand, that the country is still faced with an electricity shortage of up to 6,000MW.
On Eskoms’ huge debt of R400 billion, Ramaphosa said it continues to be a huge burden on Eskom’s ability to address its many challenges.
“The National Treasury is working to finalise a sustainable solution to Eskom’s debt. The Minister for Finance will outline how the government will effectively deal with this matter when he presents the Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement in October,” he said.
The measures announced by Ramaphosa, along with the steps taken thus far, are expected to stabilise energy security in the country and help encourage investment in South Africa and create jobs.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Nigeria: NNPC Limited Has Not Sacked 500 Workers
Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited has dismissed media reports suggesting that it sacked about 500 workers a few days after it changed its name.
NNPC limited described the report as the handiwork of mischief makers.
According to a report filed by The Daily Sun, Garba Deen Muhammad, who is the Group General Manager, Public Affairs Department of NNPC, said the report was misleading, stressing that the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) insulates workers from the arbitrary sacking and salary cuts in the implementation of the Act.
He further explained that the NNPC management had proposed early retirement for workers due to exit between now and 2024 and gave them what was due to them.
He added that such an action is taken to energise the system via the injection of new hands and proper placement and must not be mischievously misconstrued to mean anyone was sacked, as nothing of such happened.
“We didn’t sack anyone. Even the PIA doesn’t allow that. Somebody sat somewhere and wrote what he felt like. If it were true, by now the labour unions would have threatened fire and brimstone. Everywhere would be tensed. For the atmosphere to be calm simply means the sack report is not true.
“It should be disregarded,” he said.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Russian Gas Cut To Europe Hits Economic Hopes, Ukraine Reports Attacks On Coastal Regions
Russia said it will cut gas supplies to Europe from Wednesday (today) in a blow to countries that have backed Ukraine, while missile attacks in Black Sea coastal regions raised doubts about whether Russia will stick to a deal to let Ukraine export grain.
The first ships from Ukraine may set sail in days under a deal agreed on Friday, the United Nations said, despite a Russian missile attack on the Ukrainian port of Odesa over the weekend, and a spokesman for the military administration in the saying another missile had hit the Odesa region on Tuesday morning.
Soaring energy costs and the threat of hunger faced by millions in poorer nations show how the biggest conflict in Europe since World War Two, now in its sixth month, is having an impact far beyond Ukraine.
European Union countries are set to approve a weakened emergency proposal to curb their gas demand as they try to wean themselves off Russian energy and prepare for a possible total cut-off.
The Ukrainian military on Tuesday reported Russian cruise missile strikes in the south and that Ukrainian forces had hit enemy targets.
Serhiy Bratchuk, a spokesman from the military administration in Odesa, told a Ukrainian television channel that a missile fired from the direction of the Black Sea had struck the region, but gave no information on casualties.
East of Odesa along the Black Sea coast, port infrastructure at Mykolaiv was damaged by an attack, according to the mayor Oleksandr Senkevich.
Russia’s defense ministry did not immediately reply to an out-of-hours request for comment.
A major fire broke out at an oil depot in the Budyonnovsky district of Russian-backed Donetsk People’s Republic in eastern Ukraine after Ukrainian troops shelled the province, Russia’s TASS reported, quoting a reporter at the scene. No casualties or injuries have been reported.
Russian energy giant Gazprom, citing instructions from an industry watchdog, on Monday said gas flows to Germany through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline would fall to 33 million cubic metres per day from Wednesday.
That is half of the current flows, which are already only 40% of normal capacity. Prior to the war, Europe imported about 40% of its gas and 30% of its oil from Russia.
The Kremlin says the gas disruption is the result of maintenance issues and Western sanctions, while the European Union has accused Russia of energy blackmail.
Politicians in Europe have repeatedly said Russia could cut off gas this winter, a step that would thrust Germany into recession and hurt consumers already hit by soaring inflation.
Moscow says it is not interested in a complete stoppage of gas supplies to Europe.
Source: Reuters
Egypt: Construction Of First Nuclear Power Plant Begins In El-Dabaa
Egypt has started the construction of the country’s first nuclear power plant, energynewsafrica.com can report.
The North African country hopes to construct 4.8Gigawatts capacity (4,800MW) of nuclear power in four units with Unit 1 which has a capacity of 1.2GW commencing last week.
Egypt signed an agreement with the Russian state nuclear energy corporation, Rosatom, which was the lead developer five years ago, but construction was delayed until just last month when Rosatom received approval from the Egyptian regulator to begin the project.
The launch, marked by a ceremony at the site, some 300 kilometres northwest of Cairo, was attended by the Egyptian Electricity Minister, Mohammed Shaker, and Rosatom Chief Executive, Alexey Likhachev.
A joint statement posted by Rosatom and Egypt’s Nuclear Power Plants Authority (NPPA) gave some information on the plant but lacked details on cost or time frame.
According to their joint statement, the El-Dabaa plant will consist of four units with a generating capacity equivalent to 1.2GW per unit using generation III+VVER-1200 reactors.
The pressurized water reactors are similar to those built in Russia and Belarus in recent years. Rosatom will build the plant and deliver Russian nuclear fuel for its entire life cycle.
The Russian state company will support the operation and servicing of the plant during its first 10 years of operation.
It will also build a special storage facility and deliver casks for storing spent nuclear fuel.
Mohammed Shaker was quoted as saying the pouring of concrete for the first unit marked a “historic event” for Egypt, made possible by Egyptian-Russian cooperation. It is the largest joint infrastructure project undertaken by the two countries in Egypt since the building of the Aswan High Dam in the 1960s.
Egypt has been planning an entry into the nuclear energy field for decades. It founded its NPPA in the 1970s and has been conducting research since then.
The nuclear plant will add to the country’s rapidly expanding power generation capacity.
In conjunction with Siemens, it has built large gas-fired plants during the past ten years and now plans to begin or expand electricity exports to several Middle Eastern countries.
Egypt also continues to expand its fleet of renewable energy from wind and solar plants, largely along the Gulf of Suez coast.
The country wants to raise the share of its power generation capacity from renewable sources to 40 per cent by 2030 and 42 per cent by 2035.
The site of the nuclear plant, near the farming town of El-Dabaa, is adjacent to a new six-lane motorway, about 40 kilometres west of New Alamein, a new coastal city, which serves as the government’s summer seat and includes a presidential residence.
Currently, South Africa is the only African country with nuclear power. However, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency, six other African countries are considering adopting it. The UAE recently started the first nuclear power plant in the Arabian Peninsula; its Barakah nuclear power plant began operations in 2020 and will have a 5.4GW capacity when its four reactors are fully operational.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Nigeria: Electricity Workers Issue Strike Notice Over Banks’ Take-Over Of Discos
Power sector workers in Nigeria have issued a strike notice to the Federal Government, rejecting the take-over of some Electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) by banks among others.
Under the aegis of the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), the workers have issued 14 days ultimatum to the Buhari administration to act or face their wrath.
“The owners of these DisCos would not have obtained loans from banks with the DisCos/facilities as collateral Pre-Privatization and there is no way the banks will seize DisCos, GenCos or any other company before take-over under the pretence that they were indebted to them.
“It does not make both technical and socio-economic sense for the Federal Government to indirectly hand over the operations of Electricity Companies to banks.”
The strike notice, signed by the NUEE’s General Secretary, Joe Ajaero, among others, expressed concerns over the Union, termed “the alarming developments in the Power Sector where banks are practically taking over Distribution Companies (DisCos) and other power facilities in the country based on perceived defaults to repay loans allegedly borrowed by the DisCos.
“It is on record that the Union sounded a note of warning to the Federal Government and the nation at large over the lack of financial capacity of these companies to buy into the 18 Unbundled Companies in the Power Sector preparatory to its privatization.”
Unfortunately, the warning went unheeded, with the Federal Government giving them these companies based on loans presumably collected from Commercial Banks.
“The Federal Government made us understand that the investors had the financial and technological muscles to drive the Sector.
“Now that the ‘chicken has come home to roost’, it has been discovered that most of these private investors cannot probably refund the loans obtained from the banks. Owners of these companies (DisCos) would not have obtained loans from banks; with the distribution companies/facilities as collateral pre-privatization and there is no way the banks will seize DisCos, GenCos or any other company before take-over under the pretence that they were indebted to them.”
According to the NUEE, “Before now, we had called for the review of the privatization process with its manifest imperfections. It does not make both technical and socio-economic sense for the Federal Government to indirectly hand over the operations of Electricity Companies to banks.
‘’This has partly contributed to the near collapse of the Power Sector. It is also unbelievable that the Federal Government is contemplating further privatization in the Power Sector. We are on standby.
“Given these developments and since the jobs of our members are being threatened with job loses, none payment of salaries/allowances coupled with the increasing difficulty in running these business concerns daily and the general disquiet characterizing the sector, we call for the exit of banks (whose presence has been a distraction) from these power facilities without further delay.
“Premised on the foregoing, the Union issues a 14-day notice for these and other issues including the obnoxious letter by the Head of Service for which notice has been given and expired; to address these issues or our services will no longer be guaranteed. This is not a threat.”
Meanwhile, the Federal Government, through the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Power, in a response letter dated July 20, among others, explained that “the recent change in the equity ownership of some of the Electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) was a lender action, stepping in to take over the shares of the associated core investors largely as a result of failure to honour debt obligations.
“It is noteworthy that this is not on account of a debt owed by DisCos as separate legal entities. The involvement of the banks at the Board level is, therefore, a consequence of the ownership and corporate governance of the DisCos.
“We wish to reassure the leadership of your Union that the Central Bank of Nigeria, as the regulator of the Banking Industry, has already assured that it would ensure that the banks do not hold the shares in perpetuity. In this regard, there would be an early exit of banks in these public utilities to allow for the sale of the shares to other competent operators in line with subsisting government policy on the reform agenda, and the oversight of the relevant government agencies for such transactions.
“The overriding objective is to ensure the provision of adequate and reliable electricity service to consumers in a manner that will not cause disruptions to the DisCos. In this regard, the staff of the utilities are essential partners towards the achievement of the aforementioned objectives.’’
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Ghana: Gov’t Saves $13.2 Billion Through Renegotiated Power Deals
The Government of Ghana has saved an amount of $13.2 billion from the renegotiated power purchase agreement signed by the previous administration with six Independent Power Producers (IPPs).
The PPAs which Ghana has made the quantum of amount are Karpower, Cenpower, Early Power, Twin City Energy (formerly Amandi), AKSA Energy and Cenit.
“These renegotiated agreements are expected to have savings estimated at $13.2 billion over the life of the PPAs through a combination of reduced capacity and energy charges. In other words, we are saving the Ghanaian taxpayer $13.2 billion from power contracts signed by the previous administration,” Ghana’s Minister for Finance Ken Ofori-Atta said on Monday during the Mid-Year Budget presentation in Parliament.
He said the renegotiated deal provides balanced and sustainable energy partnerships that have led to affordable power for industrial, commercial and residential use.
Touching on happenings in the energy sector, Mr Ofori-Atta said the raft of sanctions imposed on Russia is tightening supply conditions for energy products.
In response, he stated that the government is closely monitoring the stock of products at all depots.
“The timely intervention of the Bank of Ghana (BoG), through the Special Forex Auction mechanism, is also expected to sustain the continuous supply of petroleum products in Ghana,” he added.
The development, he argued, has caused disruptions in power supply causes to businesses-large and small from factories to hairdressing salons.
“As part of measures to improve transmission and reliability of power supply and expand energy to all Ghanaians, we have, between January to date, completed the Kasoa Bulk Supply Point (BSP) Project which comprises the reconstruction of a section of GRIDCO’s 161kV Winneba-Mallam transmission lines and tie-in-works.”
He added that the government has also advanced the Volta-Achimota Lot of the 161KV Volta-Achimota-Mallam Transmission Line Upgrade Project to 85 per cent, from 83 per cent.
He stated that the government has also connected 58 communities to the national grid as of the end of June 2022 with several communities at various stages of completion.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Ghana: Energy Commission, USAID Train And Certify 44 Wiring Professionals In Northern Ghana
Ghana’s technical electricity regulator, Energy Commission, in collaboration with the USAID-funded Power Africa West Africa Energy Programme (Power Africa), has trained and certified 44 wiring professionals including 10 women in Northern Ghana.
The USAID and Power Africa sponsored the four-week training from 29th September to 2nd November 2021, in collaboration with the EC to increase the number of Certified Electrical Wiring Professionals in Ghana, with the end goal of increasing access to reliable and affordable grid-based power in Ghana.
The training took place at the Dabokpa Technical Institute in Tamale, Northern Region.
Out of the 50 registered and trained participants, 44 were successful in the certification examinations, which qualifies them as Certified Electrical Wiring Professionals (CEWPs).
This also includes 10 female artisans, whose successful qualification has increased the number of female wiring artisans in Ghana by 100 per cent.
The 44 certified wiring professionals graduated at a brief ceremony held in Tamale, the Northern Regional capital.
Since the inception of the implementation of Ghana’s Electrical Wiring Regulations Law in February 2012, the EC has certified dozens of professionals.
However, many practitioners continue to wire facilities without the appropriate certification and related training, resulting in the need for rewiring, unsafe installations and increased cost for connection, particularly, for rural households.
The challenges faced by unskilled electricians are usually based on limited financial capacity to pay for training and to register for the Wiring Examinations.
USAID and Power Africa commended the Energy Commission for passing the Electrical Wiring Regulations Law (L.I. 2008), and their partnership in training professional artisans to legally engage in professional electrical wiring and installation.
The Executive Secretary of the Energy Commission, Rev Ing Oscar Amonoo-Neizer, expressed his gratitude to USAID for its immense contribution particularly to increasing the number of certified female wiring artisans.
“We believe that participants have been presented with viable opportunities to enhance and refine their skills to ultimately generate income. Thanks to USAID and Power Africa for covering the logistical, tuition and certification costs/fees for all 44 wiring professionals and for presenting each of them with necessary toolkits to start them off in their career,” he said.
Power Africa will continue to work with Ghana’s Energy Commission and the Government of Ghana to improve access to affordable and reliable electricity.
In a speech, the Minister for Energy, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, noted that the training of the certified wiring professionals would help reduce the cost of wiring in the north and would also create employment opportunities for the youth.
“This kind gesture will also create employment opportunities for the youth in the communities. It is envisaged that the reduced cost of wiring installations will drive a rapid increase in electricity access within these communities, thereby accelerating the goal of achieving the 2025 Universal Access to electricity target in Ghana,” he said.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Since the inception of the implementation of Ghana’s Electrical Wiring Regulations Law in February 2012, the EC has certified dozens of professionals.
However, many practitioners continue to wire facilities without the appropriate certification and related training, resulting in the need for rewiring, unsafe installations and increased cost for connection, particularly, for rural households.
The challenges faced by unskilled electricians are usually based on limited financial capacity to pay for training and to register for the Wiring Examinations.
USAID and Power Africa commended the Energy Commission for passing the Electrical Wiring Regulations Law (L.I. 2008), and their partnership in training professional artisans to legally engage in professional electrical wiring and installation.
The Executive Secretary of the Energy Commission, Rev Ing Oscar Amonoo-Neizer, expressed his gratitude to USAID for its immense contribution particularly to increasing the number of certified female wiring artisans.
“We believe that participants have been presented with viable opportunities to enhance and refine their skills to ultimately generate income. Thanks to USAID and Power Africa for covering the logistical, tuition and certification costs/fees for all 44 wiring professionals and for presenting each of them with necessary toolkits to start them off in their career,” he said.
Power Africa will continue to work with Ghana’s Energy Commission and the Government of Ghana to improve access to affordable and reliable electricity.
In a speech, the Minister for Energy, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, noted that the training of the certified wiring professionals would help reduce the cost of wiring in the north and would also create employment opportunities for the youth.
“This kind gesture will also create employment opportunities for the youth in the communities. It is envisaged that the reduced cost of wiring installations will drive a rapid increase in electricity access within these communities, thereby accelerating the goal of achieving the 2025 Universal Access to electricity target in Ghana,” he said.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Dubai: DEWA Digital Transformation Continues Throughout Its Operations
Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has completed the digital integration of more than 70 projects with government and private organisations.
They include public authorities, twenty-one banks, telecom companies, wire transfer and on-line wallet services.
The utility provides services through its website and smart app for customers to complete transactions.
More than 75 million smart transactions have been facilitated through digital integration and digital channels provided by DEWA, according to H.E Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Managing Director and CEO of DEWA.
The company’s customer facing technology is part of its overall strategy for digital services throughout its operations, with machine learning and AI techniques applied in renewable energy production and storage.
“DEWA works, through Digital DEWA, its digital arm, to redefine the concept of a utility… and become the first digital utility in the world with autonomous systems for renewable energy and storage, with the expansion of AI and digital services,” said al Tayer.
The company has been working to automate its transmission and distribution networks, increasing their readiness to accommodate increasingly diverse power sources including high shares from renewables.
The company’s digital subsidiary provides numerous digital services through its digital services arm DigitalX.
Another subsidiary of DEWA is Moro Hub, which is offering digital and cloud hosting services.
DEWA also has a Research & Development (R&D) Centre at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park in Dubai, which advances its digital transformation through four research areas including the integration of smart grids.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Guinea: AfDB Approves US$66Million To Increase Electricity Access In Six Towns
The African Development Bank (AfDB) has approved US$ 66.39 million in funding for electricity access in Guinea.
The project for which the Guinean transitional government is obtaining funding aims to strengthen access to electricity in six towns and surrounding areas.
Out of the US$66.39 million in funding to Guinea, US$13.54 million is being provided by the African Development Fund (ADF), the concessional lending arm of the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group.
The bulk of the funding, $52.85million, is being provided by the African Transition Facility, an autonomous entity within the AfDB Group dedicated to supporting fragile and conflict-affected states.
Guinea is currently undergoing a transition phase following the military putsch that overthrew former president Alpha Conde on 5th September, 2021.
The transitional body, the National Rallying Committee for Development (CNRD), headed by Colonel Mamadi Doumbouya, is continuing to implement the Guinea Electricity Access Improvement Project (PAAEG) for which the AfDB Board of Directors has just approved financing.
Infrastructure Development
The PAAEG involves the construction of 797km of medium voltage lines to connect at least 40 localities. The work will also consist of the construction of 47 km of mixed lines, 984km of low-voltage lines, 21 high and low-voltage substations and 128 H61 substations (transformers with a power rating of between 50 and 160 kVA).
As a result of this work, the public company Électricité de Guinée (EDG) will distribute 37,367 household connection facilities to the national electricity network. These installations will be carried out in the cities of Kankan, Kérouané and Siguiri in the Upper Guinea region and Nzérékoré, Beyla and Lola in Forest Guinea.
In addition to the deployment of electrical infrastructure, “the project will support reform initiatives in the electricity sub-sector and capacity building of its actors. It will also promote the productive use of electricity by providing women’s groups with equipment to increase their productivity. Also, public lighting will enhance security and allow women to have more time to carry out their commercial activities and school children to improve their school results,” explains Léandre Bassolé, the AfDB Group’s Country Manager for Guinea.
Co-Financing From Several Development Partners
According to him, “improving access to electricity will help create optimal conditions for better diversification of the Guinean economy with local processing of bauxite on the one hand, and agricultural products on the other,” the AfDB official said.
The Guinea Electricity Access Improvement Project is co-financed by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) under its Energy for Africa programme.
The Guinean government is also receiving support from the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) and the Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (SEFA), a financing mechanism managed by the AfDB.
For the record, the PAAEG is being implemented within the framework of the development of hydroelectric production in Guinea, which has led to the launch of the Souapiti hydroelectric project on the Konkouré River. At a cost of 2 billion dollars, the facility built by China International Water & Electric Corporation (CWE) will have a capacity of 550 MW.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Ghana: Both High And Low Profile People In Society Steal Power-Former ECG MD
A former Managing Director of Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), Ing. Samuel Boakye-Appiah, is urging Ghanaians to desist from stealing power and instead pay for the power they consume to ensure the sustainability of the power industry.
According to him, power theft is hurting the industry and it was about time the West African nation saw it as canker and waged war on it.
“Some Ghanaians should desist from stealing electric power. We should all pay for the power we consume,” Ing Samuel Boakye-Appiah said during an exclusive interview with energynewsafrica.com.
Giving details of the class of people in society who are involved in power theft, Ing Samuel Boakye-Appiah said: “If we are to profile those who are involved in stealing energy, you will realise that from the highest person in society to the lowest, they are all involved if you are to classify society. I’m talking from experience.”
Ing. Boakye-Appiah, who expressed worry about the situation, called for a national campaign against power theft.
“I will call for a national campaign against power theft. Just as we took the Covid-19 campaign, we should consider stealing energy as canker and fight it,” he said.
Power theft is a serious issue for both ECG and Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo).
In 2021, ECG identified 1,537 power theft and recovered an amount of Gh¢6.52 million.
In an interview with some journalists, the Corporate Communications Manager for Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo), Maxwell Kotoka, decried the losses and the level of power theft in their operational areas.
“We suffer a loss of about 38% as we can’t account for the illegal power supply siphoned by residents of Kabonwule.”
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
TotalEnergies Plans Fuel Price Reductions To Help Consumers
French supermajor TotalEnergies will lower fuel prices at all its service stations in France from September 1 until the end of the year to support the eroding purchasing power of French households.
From September 1 to November 1, TotalEnergies will lower its petroleum fuel prices sold in service stations by 0.20 euro ($0.20) per liter compared to global market quotation prices, followed by a 0.10 euro/liter reduction from November 1 to December 31, the French supermajor said in a statement on Friday.
These price reductions, which complement the government measures, will apply from the first liter purchased, with no limit on amounts, for all petroleum fuel sold in service stations, the company said, noting that the fuel-reduction program was designed “to meet the expectations of French people affected by the increase in energy prices and the impact on their purchasing power.”
Some of TotalEnergies refineries in France faced losses of more than $1 billion (1 billion euro) during Covid in 2020 and 2021, “for which TotalEnergies did not request any government support and which are more than offset by the current favourable environment”, said Patrick Pouyanné, Chairman and CEO of TotalEnergies.
“With this large-scale price reduction programme in our service stations, we are hopeful that this long-term commitment will be recognised both by our customers and at the national level,” Pouyanné added.
Oil companies and refiners globally, including in the United States, have come under government pressure in recent weeks to lower prices at the pump. High fuel prices are eroding people’s purchasing power and have already started to weaken gasoline demand.
France-based shipping giant CMA CGM on Friday also announced a reduction in freight rates “to support the purchasing power of French households and the economy.”
CMA CGM is cutting shipping fees by $762 (750 euro) per container for imports to France from Asia.
Source: Oilprice.com
Nigeria: Airline Operators Caution Travellers As Fuel Shortages Heighten
Nigeria’s airline operators have warned passengers against travelling due to a shortage of aviation fuel.
The spokesperson for the operators, Professor Obiora Okonkwo, says passengers should expect flight cancellations.
“There will be major disruption in scheduled flight operations, including cancellation and unnecessary delays across all airports in the country,” Mr Okonkwo said in a statement as carried by BBC.
The body says aviation fuel prices have risen by about 400 per cent since December 2021.
Mr. Okonkwo added that other than the fuel shortage, other problems facing the aviation sector are the closure of one runway at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos and the unavailability of US dollars to purchase spare parts for grounded aircraft.
Out of the 10 airlines that form the umbrella body, two have grounded their flights.
The country’s Civil Aviation Authority shut down Dana Air on 20th July because of financial reasons and recurrent flight problems, while Aero contractors temporarily stopped its services due to the high cost of running the airline and a shortage of aviation fuel.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com