Page 11 - AfrElec Week 24

AfrElec
NEWS IN BRIEF
AfrElec
e Smart Grid Study will benchmark global best practices for reducing electricity losses globally, analyse the losses in the Ivorian electricity system, and develop a full Loss Reduction Strategy and implementation plan, while considering the objectives of energy growth and integration of renewable energies into the Cote d’Ivoire’s energy mix.
CI-ENERGIES has engaged EnerNex’s technical assistance to reduce losses in the power system in support of the technical and commercial performance of the Ivoirian electricity sector.
Côte d’Ivoire is the leader member of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) zone. Its ambition is to become an emerging country by 2020, thanks to a strong economic growth and the development of all sectors of the economy.
“We commend CI-ENERGIES for their solid operational and technical advancements among the di erent segments of the Ivorian electricity system which will enable overall e ciency to be higher than 87 percent by 2020,” said Aaron Snyder, EnerNex director of technology consulting.
“We thank USTDA and CI-ENERGIES for giving us the opportunity to build upon and learn from the Ivorian experts and we look forward to strengthening the grid to achieve the goal of this study.”
“USTDA is committed to infrastructure investments that will drive the growth of the Ivoirian economy,” said omas R. Hardy, USTDA’s acting director.
“Our Agency’s study will help modernize
the country’s grid by utilizing American engineering expertise and create new opportunities for U.S. smart grid rms to enter this dynamic market.”
ENERNEX
HYDRO
Joule Africa to build Sierra
Leone’s Bumbuna II with
$5m funding
Sierra Leone is set to receive $4.9m funding from the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) to nance remaining and nal stages in developing the Bumbuna II hydropower project, the country’s largest infrastructure project.
e project is part of the government’s long-term Energy Plan, playing a critical energy infrastructure role which will help to reduce the country’s dependence on fossils fuels and emergency power by providing a ordable base load power for Sierra Leone.
Bumbuna II will be located on the Upper Seli River in North East Sierra Leone and it involves building an extension to the existing 50-MW Bumbuna I facility.
Upon completion, the plant will add 143 MW of new capacity and will provide Sierra Leone with a minimum of 80 MW of reliable, all-year round a ordable electricity.
e energy produced by the hydropower
project will also feed into the Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea extension to the West African Power Pool transmission line. Joule Africa and its local company
Seli Hydropower won the contract for the development.
“We are pleased to have the support
and endorsement of DBSA as we progress
the project towards nancial close. DBSA’s funding and ongoing support comes at a critical time when our team is focused on completing the remaining activities so that the construction of this landmark project can get underway,” said Andrew Cavaghan, Executive Chairman of Joule Africa Limited.
In addition to Bumbuna II, Joule Africa is developing Kpep, a 285MW hydro project in Cameroon, while working closely with all of its stakeholders to create infrastructure assets that will generate long-term value.
JOULE AFRICA
Voith wins 20-MW Burundi hydro order
e technology group Voith has won an
order to design, manufacture and supply the complete electromechanical equipment for the Kabu 16 hydropower plant in Burundi.
e company will also supervise the installation and commissioning of the plant.
e Voith scope includes two vertical Francis turbines with a capacity of 10 MW each, valves, generators, the governor and automation system as well as the mechanical and electrical balance of plant systems.
e order for the small hydropower
plant was placed in February 2019 between Angelique International Limited on behalf of the Ministry of Hydraulics, Energy & Mines of the Republic of Burundi and Voith.
Construction work on the new plant has been in progress since March 2019 and is expected to be nished in autumn 2020.
e project is of high national importance, as it will provide signi cant bene ts to the people in Burundi in terms of improved power supply, employment generation and infrastructure improvement.
“ e small hydropower plant Kabu 16 in Burundi will de nitely contribute to the economic and social development of the region”, says Mr. Saurabh Sharma, Vice President & Business Head Small Hydro of Voith Hydro India.
“I am proud that Voith can support the project with a complete water to wire solution. e future plant operator will also bene t from a plant with a long performance time and low maintenance requirements.”
VOITH
Week 24 19•June•2019
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