Power developments in Africa, September 2015
Nigeria to build 70 MW solar facility
Siemens and CT Cosmos, a Nigerian firm based in Abuja, have concluded a memorandum of understanding to construct a 70 MW solar PV power facility estimated at $170-million in Panyam, Plateau State. The project, which is expected to be completed in less than two years, will supply power to the national grid. The 70 MWac solar power plant is the first in a series of large solar power generating facilities proposed by CT Cosmos for various sites in Nigeria. www.siemens.com
Investment for Ghana’s gas project
The World Bank has approved a record investment of $700-million for Ghana’s Sankofa Gas Project – a transformational project which will help address the country’s serious energy shortages by developing new sources of clean and affordable natural gas for domestic power generation. The project is expected to provide up to 1000 MW of clean electricity, replacing polluting and expensive oil-burning generators. The Sankofa field will enable Ghana, from 2018, to reduce its oil imports by up to 12-million barrels a year and cut carbon emissions by 1,6-million t of CO₂ annually. www.worldbank.org
Wind farm to boost Kenya’s power grid
GE Africa is partnering with Kipeto Energy to build a new wind farm in Kenya’s Kajiado County. GE will be the sole equipment supplier for the 100 MW project, 50 km from the capital of Nairobi. The local power deal caps off a successful run of more than $2,5-billion in booked orders on the Africa continent across transport, aviation, healthcare and energy sectors. The project is expected to make a significant contribution to the installed energy capacity in Kenya. The $155-million contract will include 60 GE 1.7-103 wind turbines, as well as a 15-year service agreement. www.ge.com
75 MW PV project for Morocco
Morocco’s energy and water authority ONE has issued an RfP for the construction of three PV plants with a combined capacity of 75 MW. The three PV plants, which will have a capacity of 25 MW each, will be built in the municipalities of Zagora, Erfoud and Missour, respectively. The projects will be financed by International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) with $125-million and by the Clean Technology fund with $23,9-million. Both financial institutions are part of the World Bank. ONE intends to invest $800-million in the construction of 400 MW of PV plants across Morocco. www.one.org.ma
West Africa’s first large-scale solar plant
An historic agreement to build, own and operate West Africa’s first utility-scale solar power plant has been signed by Norwegian company Scatec Solar and its partners. To be located near the ancient city of Segou in South-East Mali, the 33 MW solar project is being developed in partnership with IFC InfraVentures and the local developer Africa Power 1. The agreements include a power purchase agreement (PPA) between EDM and Segou Solaire, the local project company, for the delivery of solar power over the next 25 years. www.scatecsolar.com
Kenya plans 1 GW solar PV project
SkyPower, a developer and owner of utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) energy projects, has signed a landmark agreement with the Kenyan Ministry of Energy and Petroleum for the development of 1 GW of world-class solar projects to be built in four phases in Kenya over the next five years. The monumental US$2,2-billion agreement was signed in Nairobi, Kenya at the sixth annual Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES). The company’s investment will create more than 25 000 total job years in Kenya and includes 200 MW of fabrication and assembly facilities.www.skypower.com
Botswana seeks bids to build solar plants for mines
Botswana’s government has launched a bidding process to construct solar power plants near its huge Jwaneng diamond mine and for the nation’s northwest, where copper assets are being developed. According to the government, this invitation is a request for expression of interest to construct, operate, maintain and decommission at the end of its economic life, a scalable solar power plant. The notice did not specify the capacity wanted but the minerals and energy ministry has previously stated the government wanted to place 100 MW solar power tenders which would be equally split between Jwaneng and the north-west mines. www.debswana.com
Nigeria’s biggest hydropower plant under construction
Alstom has been awarded a contract by China National Electric Engineering Co. (CNEEC) to provide turbines and technical services for Zungeru Hydropower Project, Nigeria’s largest hydropower plant under construction. Four 175 MW Francis turbine-generator sets and related equipment will be provided by Alstom. Located on the middle and upper reaches of River Kaduna near Zungeru in Niger state, Zungeru Hydropower Project will become the country’s largest hydropower project once operated, with 700 MW installed capacity in total. Zungeru is one of several hydro projects that are part of Nigeria’s Renewable Energy Master Plan. Construction on the $1,3-billion power plant is scheduled for completion by the end of 2017. www.alstom.com
Egypt seeking renewable energy bids
Egypt has begun accepting bids for 500 MW of renewable energy project. The government has said it would open the tenders for the three projects – two solar and one wind – as it tries to achieve its target of using renewable energy for 20% of its energy needs in five years’ time. Egypt has to date awarded 1800 MW of PV projects that drew attention from interested companies. The country has also put 1200 MW of wind energy projects up for tender, but they are off to a slower start. The latest tenders include a 250 MW wind project, a 200 MW PV project, and a 50 MW CSP plant. www.eversheds.com
Ethiopian hydroelectric plant almost complete
Ethiopia’s Gibe III hydroelectric plant is near completion. Located in south western Ethiopia, the 1870 MW hydroelectric plant on the 246 m high Gibe III dam is 98,5% complete, according to the government, and will start production of at least 500 MW by the Ethiopian New Year on 11 September. The dam has ten turbines, each with 187 MW generating capacity. The ministry of water, irrigation and energy (MoWIE) says that three turbines are ready to start with a fourth to be ready soon. www.mowr.gov.et
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