Page 10 - AfrElec Week 39

AfrElec
NEWS IN BRIEF
AfrElec
electricity penetration rate in sub-Saharan Africa”.
“According to a recent Africa Energy Outlook report published by International Energy Agency, ‘More than 620 million people live without access to electricity in Africa and those who do have access to modern energy face very high prices for a supply that is both insufficient and unreliable’.
EXPORTS
Zimbabwe’s ZESA set to
increase power exports to
Namibia
State-run Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) senior officials are expected to meet with executives from Namibia’s electricity company NamPower and finalise some on-going negotiations for the supply
of an additional 50 megawatts (MW) to Namibia.
This was announced recently by Namibia’s Deputy Minister of Information and Communication Technology, Engel Nawatiseb during a briefing of that country’s cabinet deliberations.
“Cabinet has directed Namibia’s power utility company NamPower and the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) to meet to finalise the on-going negotiations for the supply of an additional 50 megawatts to Namibia,” Nawatiseb told the media last week.
Currently, ZESA is exporting 80MW to Namibia and if the latest negotiations are
successful; Zimbabwe will be exporting a total of 130 MW to Namibia.
In 2015, ZESA and NamPower signed a 15-year agreement for Zimbabwe to supply electricity to Namibia following the end of an initial agreement signed in 2006.
The initial agreement between ZESA and NamPower saw the Namibian power utility rehabilitating the Hwange Power Station in Zimbabwe at a cost of $40m.
NamPower is currently importing 12% of its electricity from ZESA and another 48% from Eskom in South Africa.
OPERATIONS
Kenya Power restores
electricity after strong wind
storms
Kenya Power said it had restored electricity supply in several areas following power outages caused by the windstorm that struck Nairobi and some parts of the country this week.
The company said their technical teams are currently working to restore supply in parts of Nairobi including some estates within Eastlands, Southlands, Nairobi West, Embakasi, Westlands and parts of Runda.
Adding that the supply restoration exercise is also ongoing in parts of Ruiru, Thika, Kenol, Makuyu, Mwea, Sagana town, Karatina and Kianjai.
The Kenya Meteorological Department
is monitoring the strong winds and dust storms being experienced across the country and which have caused panic among many Kenyans.
Several businesses and households were affected after dust storms and strong winds caused traffic jams on major roads and power outages.
GRID
Kenya-Ethiopia
Interconnector reaches
testing stage
The 500kV Kenya-Ethiopia Interconnector has a capacity of carrying up to 2,000 megawatts and is 1,055Km long.
Built by China Electric Power Equipment and Technology (CET), the project connects the Kenyan and Ethiopian power grids.
The Ethiopian part of the $1.26bn Eastern Electricity Highway Project that connects Ethiopia with Kenya is set to be completed next month.
Built by China Electric Power Equipment and Technology (CET), the project connects the Kenyan and Ethiopian power grids.
The high voltage electric line, which is a result of the joint venture of the two countries, has 2,000 MW of capacity and covers 1,055 km, while 433km of the total electric highway lies within Ethiopian borders.
The construction of the power transmission line has already been completed in August 2019, and the highway is only awaiting finalisation of the construction of a substation, according to Moges Mekonnen, communication director of Ethiopian Electric Power (EEP).
After the construction of the substation is completed, the testing will be implemented within five months, and the highway will be ready for power transmission by April 2020.
GAS-FIRED GENERATION
Ghanaian government
submits draft framework on
exploration, development to
Cote d’Ivoire
Ghana has submitted a draft framework on the exploration and exploitation of hydrocarbons and other subsea and subsurface resources that may span the maritime boundary to Cote d’Ivoire. The framework was submitted by a delegation led by the senior minister, who is also the
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Week 39 02•October•2019