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infrastructure, exacerbating the region’s Kenya pushes for Zimbabwe’s lithium mine
economic problems.
The construction of a gas-fired plant will collaboration in electricity doubles output to 60,000t/y
enhance Maiduguri’s energy independence
by reducing its reliance on external power project investments amidst Zimbabwe’s oldest lithium mine, Bikita
sources, thereby decreasing its susceptibility to Minerals, has grown petalite output from
future acts of sabotage. regular outages 36,000 t/y to 60,000 t/y since its $180mn
During the opening ceremony of the takeover by a Chinese firm, Sinomine in
plant, Buhari noted that the power project in Kenya’s Energy Cabinet Secretary (CS) has February 2022.
Maiduguri was an essential part of his plan called on all county governments to set Apart from expanding the petalite
to gradually increase the nation’s power- aside funds for investment in the electricity production plant, Sinomine is also building a
generating assets by 4,000 MW. Improving sector to help stabilize supply to the spodumene concentrate processing facility at
the national power supply and thereby national grid. the mine, some 400km south of Harare, the
stimulating economic growth has been a goal The frequency of nationwide power capital, local publication NewZWire reports.
of his administration. blackouts is on the rise in the East African To guarantee enough electricity supply
Although Buhari’s government has made nation. The call by CS Davis Chirchir comes for the expanding operation, Sinomine has
some efforts to address the country’s energy just a day after the region’s biggest economy also signed a $24mn deal with the Zimbabwe
crisis, insecurity in Nigeria, particularly in the was plunged into darkness following a Energy Transmission Distribution Company,
northeastern region, has worsened during his nationwide blackout lasting several hours on a unit of power utility, ZESA Holdings, to
tenure. Saturday (March 4) attributed to a system build power transmission infrastructure to the
disturbance in a main transmission line. mine.
Apart from the capital, Nairobi, the Sinomine bought into the mine last
Daewoo completes western region of the country covering areas year after a deal with African Metals
Management Services and German investor
like Eldoret, Kisumu and Nakuru was the
construction of Ras Djinet worst hit. Wilfried Pabst’s Southern African Metals
and Minerals, the Mauritius-registered
To deal with the recurring problem,
gas-fired power plant in Chirchir wants devolved units to invest in companies that held a combined 74% of the
73-year-old asset.
energy systems owing to the fact that most
Algeria of Kenya’s electricity supply comes from manufacturing, while spodumene concentrate
Petalite is used for glass and ceramics
the eastern side despite the western region
Korea’s Daewoo E&C said that it completed also having significant potential to generate is critical in making of lithium batteries which
construction works for the Ras Djinet power from hydro, solar and wind sources are on high demand as the world transitions
Combined Cycle Power Plant in Algeria after to help meet the growing energy needs. from polluting carbon fuels to renewables.
nearly a decade of delay due to uncompleted “The country’s electricity supply currently Bikita Minerals expects to employ over
engineering works and repercussions of stands at 75% of the households and this 1,000 permanent workers after the completion
the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a can be grown to cover 100% if collaboration of the new plants, up from the 360 workers
statement from the firm late on March 3 . between the national and the country that it had before the acquisition. Including
Daewoo submitted the Provisional governments and partners is enhanced,” construction workers, the mine has 1,800 staff
Acceptance Certificate (PAC) for the 1,200 Chirchir said. on site.
MW gas-fired combined cycle power plant Kenya’s installed capacity currently stands “Under the [electricity supply] deal,
as required by the Algerian Society of at 3,300 MW up from around 1,600 MW a Bikita Minerals will fund the construction
Electricity Production. The PAC is usually decade ago. The country is planning to import of a 113km 132-kilovolt power line from the
issued by the client who owns the project an additional 200 MW from neighbouring existing Tugwi substation to the planned
upon approval of the completion of all Ethiopia to enhance availability and bring Bikita Minerals substation,” newZWire writes.
construction work. down the cost of electricity, a factor that “The mine will install substation ancillary
The Ras Djinet Combined Cycle Power has hindered the growth of sectors like services, protection equipment, metering
Plant, located in the Cap Djinet region of manufacturing. equipment, power network control and
Boumerdès, consists of three units and is “We want to continue being a market telecommunication system. As part of the
worth a total of $75.9mn. leader in renewable energy and grow the agreement, Bikita will ensure that the new
The plant is equipped with multiple manufacturing sector contribution to the substation also supplies power beyond the
systems in order to preserve the surrounding gross domestic product from 7% to over 14% mine, to other areas such as Gonye, Nyika,
environment and public health, including and continue positioning the country as a Chivaka and the Bikita local load.”
those related to the desalination of seawater preferred investment destination through The company recoup its investment by
for cooling, which is used in the production of cheap energy,” said Chirchir. offsetting charges for future power use.
steam after desalination, and another system Kenya has prioritised investments in Sinomine is one of several investors
for producing hydrogen, which is used to cool renewable energy and has rolled out plans to that are investing in lithium mining and
the electric generators by self-production and phase out electricity generation from thermal processing in Zimbabwe, Africa’s number
to filter all types of water generated from the sources. one producer of the mineral and number
plant units. The country’s electricity supply comes six globally. Other investors include Huayou
“It was a big challenge to build Ras Djinet mostly from hydro and thermal sources. Cobalt, which is building a $300mn plant
Combined Cycle Power Plant in Algeria due According to data from the Ministry of near Harare, Max Mind Investments, which
to various external variables,” a source in Energy, this generation energy mix comprises started a $130mn project in central Zimbabwe
Daewoo said, pointing out that the project hydro at 838 MW, geothermal at 863 MW, two in 2022, and Premier African Minerals, which
will raise the firm’s profile and reputation for per cent from biogas cogeneration, wind at is constructing a spodumene plant at Zulu to
technical prowess. 437 MW and solar at 173 MW. the west.

P14 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 10 08•March•2023