Page 10 - AfrElec Week 06

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NEWS IN BRIEF
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in 2017, as human-induced factors reportedly killed another 42 persons in 38 fatal accidents caused by faulty systems in the electricity distribution arm of the power sector in the first five months of 2018.
Managing Director of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC), Funke Osibodu, said the utility companies would cooperate with the Federal Government in enforcing the regulations.
TRADING
Nigeria plans cheaper power tariff for Niger
Nigeria plans to send cheaper electricity to its West African neighbour Niger, the Minister of Power, Mr. Sale Mamman, said.
Mamman stated this at a recent meeting with the Nigerin Minister of Energy, Mrs. Amina Moumouni, who had complained that the current tariff being charged her country was unbearable.
In this regard, he explained that he
was going to work with the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) to work out modalities and the feasibility of reducing the electricity tariff of Niger Republic.
According to Mamman, power sales from Nigeria to Niger was based on bilateral agreement on basis of the construction of dams along River Niger.
He added that these countries are
not allowed to construct dams along the waterways to allow Nigeria’s hydropower
plants to continue to function optimally. The official said he will also appeal to
Nigeria to also help her country tackle insecurity at its borders.
GAS-FIRED GENERATION
US to support Nigeria’s Abuja IPP
Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the United States Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) have signed a $1.1mn grant as part funding for the NNPC- Abuja Independent Power Project (IPP) designed to generate 1,350MW.
Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Mele Kyari, signed on behalf of the NNPC, while the US Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Beth Leonard, signed for the USagency at a ceremony held on the sidelines of the Nigeria International Petroleum Summit (NIPS) in Abuja.
In his remarks, Kyari said the project was driven by an urgent need to unlock the economic potential of Nigeria currently bogged down by a power challenge.
He added that Nigeria, as a matter of urgency, should leverage on its abundant gas resource instead of flaring it.
Kyari commended NNPC”s partnership with USTDA, adding that the $1.1mn support will help de-risk the project.
He said: “This project will be delivered to the market and offtakers are ready for it. Nigeria will be best of it. “Not that we can’t
afford $1.1mn, but that international bodies are with us is what we’re proud.
“We’re transparent in our dealings. There will be peace and prosperity once we solve this electricity challenge”, he said. Also speaking on the project, the Acting Director USTDA Thomas Hardy, said the $1.1mn is the investment of the USDTA for the feasibility studies that will drive and make case for the bankability of the project.
“The goal of USTDA is to make sure the project is viable and in a way that will increase the likelihood of implementation financing whether it’s from World Bank or the Export Import Bank,” Hardy said.
He said the fund the USTDA is investing
in the project does not require counterpart funding from Nigeria as the USTDA has made a 100% commitment to the project.
The Abuja 1,350MW Independent Power Plant (IPP) would leverage on the existing huge natural gas resources from the NNPC Upstream and the proposed Ajaokuta- Kaduna-Kano (AKK) Gas pipeline to boost the nation’s revenue base and generate employment opportunities for the youth.
HYDRO
Ethiopia opens Chinese- built 254MW dam
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has inaugurated the Chinese built 254MW Genale Dawa III hydro dam project.
The Ethiopia Minister of Water, Irrigation and Electricity, Seleshi Bekele and Ethiopia Minister of Innovation and Technology, Abraham Belay also attended the hydro dam inauguration ceremony.
The hydro dam project built by the China Gezhouba Group Corporation cost around 451mn U.S. dollars with the majority of the money needed to finance the project sourced through loans from the China Export-Import Bank.
Speaking to Xinhua, Moges Mekonen, Communication Director at Ethiopia Electric Power (EEP), said the 254MW Genale Dawa III hydro dam is expected to fill a critical
gap in Ethiopia’s ongoing efforts to meet
the energy needs of the country’s estimated 110mn people.
The 254MW Genale Dawa III hydro project is located in southeastern Ethiopia, 630 kms southeast of Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa.
The energy sector is one of Ethiopia’s priorities as the country envisages to become
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Week 06 13•February•2020