Page 12 - AfrElec Week 04 2022

AfrElec RENEWABLES AfrElec

Kenya Power officials

charged over nationwide

power outage

KENYA CHARGES against six Kenya Power and Light- to the outage.
ing Company employees relating to the recent The three were charged with sabotage and
nationwide power outage have been dismissed neglect of official duties between November 29,
in court due to lack of evidence, but three others 2021 and January 11 this year, culminating in the
will be prosecuted. nationwide day-time electricity outage.
Raphael Kimeu, David Kamau and Julius They are accused of “wilfully and unlawfully,
Mwaniki were charged on January 26 in Kahawa with intent to sabotage, failing to maintain and
law court in Kiambu County for wilfully neglect- reinforce Dandora-Embakasi high-voltage line.
ing the Dandora-Embakasi high-voltage trans- This led to collapse of towers number 11, 12, 13
mission line. and 14 at Imara Daima in Nairobi.”
Kahawa’s Chief Magistrate, Diana Mochache, Mochache gave Kimeu, Kamau and Mwanki
found that Kimeu (acting general manager Net- the option to be released against a KES1mn
work Management), Kamau (manager Trans- ($8,806.26) cash bail or a bond of KES2mn
mission Network Department) and Mwaniki ($17,612.52) each plus two sureties. The case is
(second assistant engineer Transmission set to be heard on February 9, 2022.™
Department) had questions to answer relating
South Africa’s Metair ‘may opt

to relocate EV battery factory

from Romania to Turkey’

SOUTH AFRICA METAIR, the South African owner of Romania’s Motors Industry Bucharest, a manufacturer of
Rombat, reportedly may opt to cancel a €12mn Li-Ion batteries and electric vehicles. The move
investment in an electric vehicle (EV) battery was said to be a first step towards developing
factory initially planned for Cernica, close to larger manufacturing capacities.
Bucharest, and relocate the project to Turkey. German company Draxlmaier is competing
Rombat officials informed Economedia that in the e-vehicle battery production market in
the Turkey relocation was under consideration Romania, where it plans to develop a €200mn
following an assessment of the pros and cons of factory that would produce batteries for electric
setting up in Romania. cars. The plant location will be Timisoara.™
In 2019, Rombat acquired 35% of Prime

P12 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 04 27•January•2022