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AfrElec GAS- GENERATION AfrElec

‘World’s first’ modular LNG FSRU to

be deployed in Senegal

SENEGAL KARMOL, a joint venture owned by Turkish The M-FSRU will replace Senegal’s existing
power producer Karadeniz Energy Group and floating power plant, which used oil. Its replace-
Japanese transport company Mitsui OSK Lines, ment with an LNG unit is a significant step
has announced that the “world’s first” liquefied for the country’s ambition to be a leader in the
natural gas (LNG) floating storage and regasifi- energy transition.
cation unit (FSRU) is now ready for deployment “This is a big moment for KARMOL and
in Senegal. for Africa. With the successful completion of
GAS Entec, a Korean company, converted a the M-FSRU, Senegal will be the first country
125,000 cubic metre LNG carrier into a modular in West Africa to transition to clean gas energy,
FSRU (M-FSRU), and will now be deployed as a replacing high emission fuels with LNG,” stated
gas-to-power vessel for Senegal. Gokhan Kocak, board member of KARMOL.
The converted carrier will connect to Kar- KARMOL was founded in 2019 with the goal
powership’s 236-MW floating power plant, the of becoming the world’s most reliable and prefer-
MV Karadeniz Powership Ayşegül Sultan, in able LNG-to-power solution provider. ™
Port Dakar.

Tunisia raises natural gas,

electricity prices by up to 16%

TUNISIA THE Tunisian government has raised natural prices for industrial customers – those outside
gas and electricity prices by percentages ranging the household sector – is 12% for high-voltage
between 12.2% and 16% for residential custom- customers and a series of monthly hikes of 2.5%
ers and by 15% for industrial units, according over six months for medium-voltage consumers.
to a statement by the country’s power and gas The first such hike took place on May 1.
utility STEG (Société tunisienne de l’électricité The 16% hike in natural gas prices will affect
et du gaz). The move comes as the cash-strapped only 32% of low-pressure customers – those
country seeks more income to fund its widening whose consumption exceeds 30 cubic metres
budget deficit. per month, Ghabri said. The remaining 68% will
The majority of household consumers (nearly not be affected.
3.6mn or 85% of the total) – those households These utility price-hikes are coming in a
whose monthly consumption does not exceed context of rising food and fuel prices. In April,
200 kWh – will not be subject to any electric- the Tunisian government raised fuel prices by
ity price increases, STEG head Mounir Ghabri around 5%, the third rise so far this year.
explained, noting that the price hikes will apply And there’s more to come: an energy min-
to just 15% of STEG customers, numbering istry official told Reuters last month that the
650,000. government would be raising local fuel prices
The price increment took effect on May 1, every month this year by no less than 3%. This
2022. implies a cumulative increase of at least 30% by
Ghabri said the average increase in electricity end-2022.™

P20 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 20 19•May•2022