Page 14 - AfrElec Week 20 2021

AfrElec NEWS IN BRIEF AfrElec

GRID seen access improve from 21% to 71%.” growth in data generation in Africa is fuelling
Ngugi explained that this growth is being the demand for fast-processing efficient
Kenya Power builds driven by the Last Mile Connectivity Project, servers.
which the Company is undertaking in
The demand for build-to-suit
substation in Kilifi partnership with the Government. infrastructure is growing to support specific
applications and several segments such as
Kenya’s electricity distribution utility, Kenya BFSI, healthcare, transportation and logistics,
Power, has added another substation to its education and heavy industries are adopting
growing network. DATA CENTRES advanced server systems for efficient services.
The power utility Kenya Power has However, the report noted that the
launched a 33/11kV substation in Mtondia, African data centre market unreliable power grid connectivity increases
Kilifi County to improve the quality of power the demand for power back-up sources with
supply in the area and cater for a growing set to reach $5bn by 2026 UPS and generator systems expected to grow
customer base. because of increased construction of large and
The new substation, which cost around The African data centre market by investment mega data centre facilities. The Kenya data
$2.3mn, comprises four distribution lines was valued at $2bn in 2020 and is expected centre market has witnessed the installation
(feeders) that will enhance the stability of the to reach $5bn by 2026, growing at a of energy-efficient power infrastructure and
power supply within Kilifi County. compounded annual growth rate of 15% most facilities are of Tier III standards and are
Additionally, it will boost the capacity from 2021 to 2026, according to a report adopting power redundancy of N+1 or 2N to
of the existing Kilifi substation and offer by Research and Markets. Research and manage power grid instability.
alternative supply to customers in this area to Markets stated that factors influencing growth The report stated that colocation service
minimise outages. include renewable power availability, smart providers are likely to emerge as contributors
It is one of four substations the power city initiatives and increased support for the to the lithium-ion UPS products market as
utility is constructing within Kilifi County digital economy. vendors are continuously offering innovative
at a total cost of $11.7mn under the Kenya The report noted that Egypt, South UPS products to boost efficiency and reduce
Electricity Modernisation Project (KEMP). Africa, Kenya, Morocco and Ethiopia are cost.
The other substations are Sabaki 33/11kV, working toward improving the share of
Kaloleni 33/11kV and Kokotoni 33/11kV. renewable energy in the region’s electricity
Kenya Power’s Managing Director and generation. Research and Markets Africa is
CEO, Bernard Ngugi, said: “These new an emerging leader in microgrid capacity and HYDRO
investments will improve the quality of grid-connected, on-site energy generation
power being supplied to the residents of Kilifi or storage plants help data centres to control China supports Ethiopia in
County and its environs given its exponential power costs more efficiently by saving on peak
growth in the last eight years.” demand costs charged by traditional grid GERD talks
He added: “Between 2013 and now, Kilifi facilities.
County has registered a 260% growth in According to Research and Markets, the China has reiterated its support for the
customer numbers, from 51,821 households Africa IT infrastructure market expects African Union (AU) led negotiations to
to the current 186,403 households. This has to reach approximately $4bn by 2026. The resolve issues related to the Grand Ethiopian
Renaissance Dam (GERD).
The Deputy Head of Mission in China’s
Embassy to Ethiopia, Xie Tian, told ENA that
the GERD issue was attracting the attention of
the international community and was raised at
the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).
He noted that China is aware of
the importance of GERD to Ethiopia’s
development, and as a friend of Africa,
his country always supported the AU led
negotiations to solve African issues by
Africans themselves. “China as a friend to
African countries, we are friend to Ethiopia,
and we are also friend to Egypt and Sudan.
So, we think we are very cognisant with the
importance of the dam and we have noted
that the significance of this dam for the
development of Ethiopia,” Xie said.
Based on the clear reality, the Deputy Head
of Mission, said China will always support the
AU led negotiations to get lasting solution to
the dispute on GERD. “We support the AU
led process of negotiation of this dam... it is
the right way to find the solution through

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