Page 17 - AfrElec Week 20 2021

AfrElec NEWS IN BRIEF AfrElec

transmission lines tie-in works, hence the from the agreement signed between the the ZPC site yesterday accompanied by
need to shut down the transmission line, EEHC and German company Siemens, which stakeholders, that work had now started on a
which will affect power supplies to many includes the implementation of a pilot project new national grid transmission line with the
households. for the production of green hydrogen. erection of pylons had started along the way
According to the ECG, the improvement The project will serve as a guide for the from Hwange to Bulawayo and wiring will
works will last for a period of sixteen days Ministry of Electricity and Renewable Energy start soon.
starting from Thursday, May 27 to June 11, on the implementation of future projects, the
2021. sources said.

HYDRO
Ethiopia to begin power
HYDROGEN COAL-FIRED GENERATION
Egypt receives 6 offers to Zimbabwe: Hwange power generation at GED in
implement green hydrogen station expansion 65% summer

production projects complete Ethiopia plans to begin generating power
from its controversial Blue Nile River dam
Egypt’s Ministry of Electricity and Renewable The major expansion of Hwange Thermal during the upcoming rainy season between
Energy has received six offers from a plethora Power Station by the addition of units 7 and June and August, the foreign ministry
of international companies to implement 8, each of 300MW, is now 64,63 percent announced, AP reported.
hydrogen production projects. complete despite Covid-19 amid finance The $4.6bn Grand Ethiopian Renaissance
The companies that have put forward offers challenges that have pushed back completion Dam is expected to collect 13.5bn cubic
represent the UK, the US, Germany, Japan, by 258 days. metres of the Blue Nile River water in the
Italy, and China. Government is happy with the progress rainy season, swelling its reservoir to 18.4bn
A high-level committee has been formed of the $1,5bn project so far. This third phase cubic metres, the ministry statement said.
to study the offers submitted by each company at Hwange sees the installation of two giant The Blue Nile, which originates in
separately, Daily News Egypt reported. boiler-turbine-generator sets with a combined Ethiopia, is one of two major tributaries of
The committee will then send a detailed capacity of 600MW plus the necessary the Nile River and during the rainy season it
report to Minister of Electricity and extensions to the cooling towers and other contributes up to 80% of the Nile’s water.
Renewable Energy Mohamed Shaker, to civil and electrical engineering works. It A power line 650 km long has been
decide on these offers. started in August 2018 following ground- completed to connect the electricity generated
The committee features representatives breaking by President Mnangagwa a month at the dam to the country’s power grid, said
from: the Egyptian Electricity Holding earlier. the statement.
Company (EEHC); the Egyptian Electricity When the extension is complete Hwange The dam is now 80% complete and is
Transmission Company (EETC); and the New will have four 120MW units from the first expected to reach full generating capacity in
and Renewable Energy Authority (NREA). phase, two 220MW units from the second 2023, making it Africa’s largest hydroelectric
The sources indicated that the Ministry of stage and the two 300MW units from the power plant and the world’s seventh-largest,
Electricity and Renewable Energy is looking new third phase to give a total capacity of according to reports in state media.
to implement projects to produce green 1520MW. “Ethiopia will not tolerate any move that’s
hydrogen within three years. Along with the additions, the older units, aimed at disrupting the water filling process,
This will take place according to the not all of which are fully operational, are being its operation and water releasing scheme,” the
strategy approved by the ministry until 2035, renovated and upgraded in a continuous ministry stated.
by which it will have added hydrogen as a programme. Thermal stations require a high Ethiopia welcomed a recent report that
source of obtaining clean energy. level of continuous maintenance work, with Egypt does not object to the plans to continue
The sources added that the offers submitted necessary replacement of parts that wear out, filling the dam this year. Egyptian officials
to the ministry include a reliance on solar and and during past economic downturns some of have said they can deal with shortages that
wind energies to produce green hydrogen. this was skimped. may be caused by the water filling process,
After the completion of the report to be issued The first new unit was expected to go according to foreign ministry spokesman
by the committee, a consultation will be made live in October this year while the other was Dina Mufti.
regarding the technical, financial, and legal expected to be supplying the drid next year in Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry
details of the projects. January, but the Covid-19 outbreak affected said his country can “deal with the second
The sources stated that the mechanism for progress. filling of the Renaissance Dam through tight
implementing hydrogen production projects The project is a joint venture between Sino procedures in managing water resources,”
has not been discussed yet. The Ministry of Hydro Mauritius with 36 percent shares and according to reports on Wednesday in Egypt’s
Electricity and Renewable Energy has signed Zimbabwe Power Company with 64 percent, media.
several Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) through a company called Hwange Electricity
with a number of companies regarding Supply Company.
cooperation in the green hydrogen production Engineers told Minister of State for
field. Matabeleland North Provincial Affairs and
The sources added that these offers differ Devolution Richard Moyo who toured

Week 20 20•May•2021 www. NEWSBASE .com P17