Page 11 - AfrElec Week 27

AfrElec RENEWABLES AfrElec

financial inclusion through Nedbank’s low-cost [coronavirus] COVID-19 pandemic.”
digital financing initiatives. The facility is aligned with the AfDB’s Ten-
Stefan Nalletamby, the AfDB’s director for the Year Strategy 2013-2022, which emphasises
financial sector department, said: “We are very green and inclusive growth.
pleased to be able to support the South African It is also in keeping with the Bank’s High 5
economy by injecting investment into the private priorities: (i) Light up and Power Africa; (ii)
sector through a responsible and trusted partner Feed Africa; (iii) Industrialise Africa (iv); Inte-
who is committed to responsible investing. This grate Africa and (v) Improve the lives of African
investment will help accelerate the recovery of people.™
the economy after the slowdown caused by the

NEWS IN BRIEF

POLICY alleged all three are under investigation for COAL-FIRED GENERATION
personal use of Zesa vehicles or a potential
Zimbabwe’s Zesa fires 8 top fuel coupon scam involving $18 000. Eskom asks to retrofit four

managers coal stations

Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority POWER ACCESS Eskom aims to seek authorisation from its
(ZESA) has now acted on a forensic audit board and government to initiate a formal
published last year and fired eight top 82.2% of Nigerian bidding process for the repurposing and
managers, demoted two and suspended three repowering of the Camden, Komati, Grootvlei
including public relations manager Fullard households receive only 7 and Hendrina coal-fired power stations using
Gwasira who allegedly abused a fuel coupon lower-carbon generation technologies.
facility. hours of power per day All units at the four stations, which
Those that have been fired are Zimbabwe currently employ some 1 530 people directly,
Power Company (ZPC) operations Nigerians only receive an average of 6.8 are scheduled to stop producing electricity
director Engineer John Chirikutsi, ZPC hours of electricity supplied to them from the between 2021 and 2028, Mining Weekly
finance director Mr Hubert Chiwara, national grid, according to a newly published reported.
ZETDC managing director Engineer Julian survey by the National Bureau of Statistics. Should board and shareholder approval
Chinembiri, ZETDC finance director Known as the “Nigeria living Standards be received, Eskom will issue a request for
Thokozani Dhliwayo, Zesa Enterprises (Zent) Survey,” the survey was done in collaboration proposals (RFP) for the repowering and
managing director Mr Tererai Mutasa, plus with the World Bank, with responses collated repurposing of the stations.
two Zent managers identified as Tichivangana from about 22,110 households cut across the The RFP will be guided, in part, by
and Dafana. 36 states of the federation. responses to four requests for information
State owned ZESA whose official name According to the survey, slightly over 63 (RFIs) issued to original equipment
is ZESA Holdings (Private) Limited has percent of households said they have access manufacturers (OEMs) earlier this year by the
subsidiaries, the energy generating company to electricity from various sources, with the generation division for specific conversion
Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) and the numbers varying depending on location. options, ranging from gas and photovoltaic
Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and For instance, in Taraba state, only 19.2 systems, to biomass and battery storage.
Distribution Company (ZETDC). Other percent of households reported having The bid documentation is also likely to
subsidiaries are the investment branch ZESA electricity, compared with the over 98 percent be influenced by responses to an expression
Enterprises (ZENT) and internet provider of households with access to power in Lagos. of interest (EoI) process being overseen
PowerTel Communications (Private) Limited. Of the 82.2 percent of Nigerians who in parallel by Eskom Research Testing &
Years of alleged corruption have reported that the national grid was the main Development, which is assessing prospects
culminated in the latest dismissals and source where they get electricity from, said for broader energy and nonenergy solutions
suspensions. Nehanda Radio understands they only enjoyed power for only 6.8 hours that have the potential to create sustainable
several managers are going to be transferred per day, while they run on generators for 4.1 livelihoods for those communities that have
to other provinces. ZPC general manager Mr hours per day. hitherto relied on coal mining and electricity
Washington Mareya has been given three Respondents of the survey also reported generation.
months notice pending dismissal. having experienced 10 blackouts in the past 7 Of the four Mpumalanga stations, only
Also suspended alongside spokesman days with an average duration of 12 hours. Hendrina still has a tied coal mine in the form
Gwasira is the Zesa head of corporate services of the Optimum colliery. However, the plant is
Mr Rufaro Pasipanodya and Mr Obson receiving all of its coal by road currently after
Matunja from the audit department. Its the mine entered business rescue.

Week 27 09•July•2020 www. NEWSBASE .com P11