Page 18 - AfrElec Week 02 2023

AfrElec RENEWABLES AfrElec

UK to invest $2bn in 2,000MW

of green capacity in in Zambia

ZAMBIA SEVEN British companies are carrying out feasi- Lusaka Times writes that of the seven compa-
bility studies expected to result in them investing nies, three have been dissolved, one has liabilities
a total of $2bn in wind and solar projects in Zam- of $840mn, while there is no data on two of them
bia to generate 2,000MW, a top official has said. and the other is a nongovernmental organisation
Britain’s high commissioner to Zambia, Nich- that has been operating in Zambia since 2008.
olas Woolley, said in a release cited by Lusaka Zambia has been facing an energy crisis in
Times on Thursday (January 12) that the com- recent weeks after a drought depleted usable
panies are also applying for regulatory approv- storage on a lake where it has a 1,080MW gen-
als. The facilities, he added, could produce first erating plant. It has announced a plan to impose
power to the national grid in the next two to five a 12-hour daily electricity rationing regime
years. affecting the country including its lifeline min-
The seven firms are Hive Green, Western ing industry.
Power, Buffalo Energy, Africa GreenCo, First A top Zambian opposition leader, Emmanuel
Quantum Minerals Solar Energy, Vitalite Solar, Mwamba, raised concern over some demands
and SolarAid. that he alleges some of the companies have
Sarah Bloom, head of economic development made. The independent power producers (IPPs)
and green growth at the British High Commis- want ZESCO privatised. They, too want ZESCO
sion in Zambia, however, said that regulatory to buy power at a higher price when consumers
reforms are needed in the country’s energy sec- and the mining sector buy it extremely cheap
tor to attract more investment. She also noted from the utility.
that tariffs need to be attractive and that ZESCO, “Who foots the difference?” he asked accord-
the power utility, should be in a good financial ing to Lusaka Times. “This is the reason ZESCO
situation in order to buy power from independ- owes $1bn to IPPs.”™
ent producers.
Mozambique to scale up

electricity exports

SOUTH AFRICA MOZAMBIQUE is positioning itself to profit from untapped coal, hydro, gas, wind and solar
from a worsening electricity supply deficit in resources. Hydropower accounts for about 81%
southern Africa by ramping up exports to three of installed capacity, but natural gas and renew-
of its neighbours, its national news agency AIM able energy sources occupy a growing share of
reports. Mozambique’s energy mix.
Marcelino Gildo Alberto, chairman of power South Africa, Zimbabwe and Zambia are
utility Electridade de Moçambique (EDM), struggling with inadequate electricity. As a
said exports into the region contribute 22% of result, they are rationing supplies, with outages
the company’s annual revenues, which could ranging from 10 to 18 hours daily. South Africa’s
increase as the firm boosts supplies across south- crisis is broadly due to its dependence on old,
ern Africa. coal-burning facilities while a falling water level
“The southern African region is in crisis. in Lake Kariba, due to drought, has been blamed
South Africa is short of power, Zimbabwe the for the situation in Zimbabwe and Zambia.
same, Zambia too, and recently we learned that Only 29% of Mozambique’s population has
Tanzania is starting to have problems. So, we are access to electricity due to limited transmission
going to take advantage of this situation to sell and distribution networks and unfavourable
to the regional market, because we have surplus market conditions for new generation, Power
energy,” AIM cited Alberto as saying on Friday Africa says.
(January 6). Commenting on the expansion of electricity
Power Africa, a US government initiative supply in the country, Alberto said EDM made a
to increase power supply on the continent says total of 348,000 new connections in 2022, with a
at 187 gigawatts, Mozambique has the largest further 320,000 planned for 2023.™
power generation potential in southern Africa

P18 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 02 11•January•2023