Page 9 - AfrElec Week 28

AfrElec
NEWS IN BRIEF
AfrElec
harvest and insu cient scal revenues cause arrears in pubic expenditure and high levels of government borrowing in 2018.
e bank called for scal and structural policy reforms to boost the private sector, otherwise GDP growth would fall to 2.5%in 2019 and remain below 3% percent over the medium-term.
“Zambia needs to undertake bold scal and structural policy reforms to preserve macroeconomic stability, boost business and market con dence, and improve its growth prospects for 2019 and beyond in line with the Zambia Plus,” said Samson Kwalingana, World Bank Senior Economist for Zambia.
e Brief suggests some policy options: including (i) front-loading scal consolidation to return to medium risk of debt distress and create scal space for inclusive growth; (ii) strengthening debt management to reduce
the debt service burden and minimize debt related vulnerabilities; (iii) rebuilding foreign exchange reserves to buttress external stability, and (iv) implementing plans to improve the nancial and operational sustainability of ZESCO and enhance the transparency of State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs).
“Zambia’s economy has thus far been dominated by discoveries, expansion, and uctuations in the minerals sector, but going forward, the country needs to harness its renewable natural resource endowment
to promote sustainable growth. While the contribution of renewable resources like agricultural land, forestry and shing to
GDP has declined in recent years, the sector’s linkages with the rest of the economy remain signi cant,” said Ina Ruthenberg, World Bank Country Manager for Zambia.
THERMAL GENERATION
Atshan gas field to supply Obari power plant
e Board of Directors of Libya’s National oil Corporation (NoC) have approved Zallaf oil & Gas Exploration and Production Company’s plans to expedite exploration at the Atshan
gas eld (NC210 and NC151), with a view to supplying natural gas to the Obari power plant located some 170 kilometres away.
A feasibility study to further develop
the eld was presented to the NoC Board
at corporation headquarters by Dr Khalifa Rajab, chairman of Zallaf ’s management committee. e Board authorised a series
of comprehensive reservoir studies and a development plan to determine existing
gas reserves, feasible production rates, and associated development and production costs.
NoC chairman, Eng. Mustafa Sanalla had previously discussed earlier this month the gas link proposal with the Minister of Planning, requesting a budget to fast-track project development to replace crude oil currently used as fuel at the plant. Libya’s Presidency Council recently issued a resolution ratifying NoC supply of the power plant, while the General Electricity Company of Libya (GECol) has been preparing for the station’s commissioning.
“Supplying natural gas instead of crude oil would increase the e ciency of the Obari plant and signi cantly reduce emissions. e switch to gas would also save at-least 15000 barrels per day that could be sold internationally – further increasing Libya’s
export capacity and contributing to national revenue growth. We hope the Ministry will approve necessary funding so we are able
to progress this strategic project as soon as possible,” commented Sanalla.
e meeting was also attended by NoC Board members, Eng. Abulgasem Shengheer and Mr Elamari M. Elamari; Dr Abdulsalam Abdullah Aziz, member of the exploration and production management committee; Mr Abdulha d Abdullah Abu Ain, member of the operations, maintenance and materials management committee; and Mr Ahmad Erhumah, Zallaf ’s planning and business development manager.
GRID
Egypt begins talks on new interactive control centre
Egypt’s ministry of electricity and renewable energy began negotiations with China’s State Grid Company and Germany’s Siemens and ABB to set up an interactive control centre in the New Administrative Capital (NAC).
e Egyptian Electricity Holding Company (EEHC) will nance the project through loans it received to support the development of transmission and distribution networks and improve the quality of electricity supply to all subscribers.
Egypt currently has six national and regional control centres: the National Energy Control Centre; the Regional Cairo Energy Centre; the Exchange Control Centre in Abbasiya; the Regional Alexandria Control Centre; the West Delta Control Centre, and the Canal Regional Control Centre.
Five control centres in south and north Cairo, as well as Alexandria electricity companies, are being implemented at a cost of $203m. ey are expected to be completed and operating by December 2020.
DNV is consulting with North Cairo Electricity Distribution Company to implement the $44m Cairo Control Centre and the $39m Nasr City Control Centre, which will be completed in December 2020.
Lahmeyer International is also consulting the South Cairo Electricity Distribution Company for the implementation of the Sixth of October and Sheikh Zayed Control Centre at a cost of $58m and the Dokki Control Centre at a cost of $34m. e implementation is due to be completed by the end of December next year.
Week 28 17•July•2019
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