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Tanzania (in which it has a 49% stake) and and distribution as well as enhance the supply South Africa’s second largest company
Tanzania Photomap. of energy to off-grid customers,” said USTDA’s specialising in the conversion of coal and
Utility company Tanzania Electric Supply Acting Director Thomas R. Hardy. natural gas into liquid hydrocarbons has just
Company (Tanesco) has selected Multiconsult “It demonstrates USTDA’s commitment to launched a call for tenders for independent
Norge AS, a Norwegian consulting supporting Nigeria’s economic growth while power producers (IPPs). The call is for the
engineering firm, Norplan Tanzania and creating opportunities for US companies to construction of two solar photovoltaic power
Tanzania Photomap as subcontractors for develop world-class infrastructure,” Hardy plants at its South African sites in Secunda,
several projects in the country. These include added. Mpumalanga Province, and Sasolburg, Free
the construction of a transmission line as Specifically, USTDA’s grant will help define State Province.
well as the Rumakali hydropower plant. The the technical specifications, project economics The solar photovoltaic installations will
contract also covers the construction of a and regulatory and legal requirements to have a cumulative capacity of 10 MWp.
transmission line project and the Ruhudji develop 2.5MW of solar photovoltaic energy, According to Sasol, this initiative is part of its
hydropower plant. as well as procure and distribute 30MW of response to climate change.
Both projects are being developed in the hydroelectricity within the service area. “We are excited to launch the RFP, which
Njombe region of Tanzania. The total value A US company will be selected on a forms part of our broader greenhouse
of the contract is over $6mn, or more than competed basis to carry out the study. gas (GHG) emission reduction aspiration
14bn Tanzanian shillings. “We are proud to be USTDA’s partner, Konexa, is a Nigerian entity and moves us forward on our journey to
part of Tanzania’s energy development. The established to develop viable business models achieving our target of a 10% GHG emission
Rumakali and Ruhudji hydropower projects to accelerate energy access in developing reduction by 2030,” said the company’s chief
will help meet the country’s growing demand countries. sustainability officer, Hermann Wenhold.
for electricity. Barely 36.6% of the Tanzanian “We are proud to be partnering with PPIs interested in Sasol’s tender have
population has access to electricity,” says USTDA on this innovative project that has the until October 2, 2020 to apply. Successful
Hilde Gillebo, Vice President of Multiconsult’s potential to catalyse large scale private sector bidders will be required to design, finance,
Energy Division. investment to make the distribution sector build, operate, maintain and own the solar
Multiconsult and its partners were selected in Nigeria financially viable,” said Pradeep photovoltaic installations and associated
by the state-owned Tanzania Electric Supply Pursnani, Konexa’s CEO. connection infrastructure to supply 10 MWp
Company (Tanesco). According to the of electricity to each of Sasol’s operations
Tanzanian authorities, those companies will (Secunda and Sasolburg). They will sell the
immediately begin work which should be power to Sasol under a long-term Power
completed in the second quarter of 2021. The SOL AR Purchase Agreement (PPA).
contract includes, inter alia, the review and In May, Sasol began to seek partners to
updating of feasibility studies, the design and Sasol invites tenders for 10 potentially deploy renewable energy projects
preparation of tender documents, and the by kicking off a request for information
preparation of an Environmental and Social MWp of solar power (RFI) process to secure electricity supplies
Impact Assessment study for the Rumakali for its domestic operations from 600 MW of
and Ruhudji hydropower projects. South African chemicals supplier Sasol has renewables. The group said that the projects
issued a call for tenders for the construction of would each have to exceed 20 MW of capacity.
two integrated solar PV plants at its Secunda It will design them either as wheeled options
and Sasolburg sites in South Africa. from suitable locations across South Africa, or
RENEWABLES The facilities will have a combined capacity as embedded options close to Sasol’s facilities
of 10 MWp. in Sasolburg and Secunda.
USTDA grant to support objective of acquiring a capacity of 600 MWp
Sasol is making progress towards its
privately generated of renewable energy.

renewable energy in Nigeria

The US Trade and Development Agency
(USTDA) has awarded a grant to Abuja-based
Konexa for a feasibility study that will evaluate
Nigeria’s access to reliable, privately generated
renewable energy.
Konexa intends to develop up to 2.5MW
of solar PV energy to serve grid and under-
grid customers. The company also plans to
incorporate 30MW of hydropower into their
generation mix, which they intend to procure
from an existing hydropower plant that has
been constructed, but not commissioned.
“This project will support the development
of critical energy infrastructure and an
innovative business model to improve
Nigeria’s electricity generation, transmission

P14 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 31 06•August•2020