Page 13 - AfrElec Week 09

AfrElec
NEWS IN BRIEF
AfrElec
protect its interests and water rights.
The US Treasury Department announced
that Egypt had solely initialed the drafted GERD agreement, as Ethiopia was absent from the last round of negotiations on February 27-28 in Washington.
“Consistent with the principles set out in the declaration of principles, in particular the principles of not causing significant harm to downstream countries, final testing and filling should not take place without an agreement,” the US Treasury Department’s statement reads.
Ethiopia accuses US of unacceptable intervention
Ethiopia has said the US position on the controversial Nile River mega-dam project is “totally unacceptable”.
On March 03, Ethiopia’s Foreign Minister Gedu Andargachew described the US statement as “undiplomatic”, adding: “We want Americans to play a constructive role. Any other role is unacceptable.”
The US is negotiating between Ethiopia and Egypt in the ongoing dispute over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam that some fear could lead to war.
Ethiopia accused the US of overstepping its role as a neutral observer after the US said the dam should not be completed without an agreement.
But its foreign minister said Ethiopia would continue to attend the talks.
Upon completion, the dam will be Africa’s biggest hydroelectric power plant and provide Ethiopia and some neighbours with huge amounts of electricity and energy security.
The country wants to start filling the dam in June, but countries downstream are concerned about the impact on their water supply.
WIND
Senegal opens West
Africa’s first large-scale
wind farm
Senegal has inaugurated the first large-scale wind farm in West Africa, a facility that will supply nearly a sixth of the country’s power when it reaches full capacity later this year.
Senegal will get 30% of its energy from renewable sources, which has been a goal of President Macky Sall, Reuters reported
“The energy mix we have today allows us to move past our dependence on petrol,” said Papa Mademba Biteye, director-general of Senelec, the national electricity company, at an inauguration ceremony in the rural community of Taiba N’Diaye.
Senegalese president Macky Sall visits a wind turbine in the rural community of Taiba N’Diaye, Senegal, February 24, 2020.
The 158MW wind farm was built by UK renewable power company Lekela, which also has wind farms in South Africa and Egypt and an upcoming one in Ghana.
At Taiba N’Diaye, 46 giant wind turbines rise over scrubland about 90 km (56 miles) from the seaside capital. One-third are operating, and the rest are due to come online by June.
Outside the cities, much of Senegal is still not electrified. Electricity reached only about 60% of the 16mn population in 2017, according to the World Bank.
POWER ACCESS
Gambia launches $17mn power access project
Gambia’s Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs and the National Water and Electricity Company (NAWEC) have launched a $17mn electricity access project for the country to contribute to government efforts in achieving access to electricity by 2030.
Funded by the African Development Bank (AfDB), the projects aims to provide
sustainable energy to all genders. Permanent secretary at the Ministry of
Petroleum and Energy, Lamin Camara said the overall beneficiaries of the project will be domestic households, small businesses and public institutions to greatly reduce or eliminate the connection charges while also deploying prepaid meters.
“The project is expected to have a transformative impact on the short –term affordability of gaining access in spirit of strengthening the capacity of NAWEC to improve customer services delivery,” he said.
Minkailou Halidou Toure, African Development Bank project team leader
said financing the project reflects the Bank’s sustained support to the development of The Gambia, expressing the AfDB’s commitment to support the country in achieving universal access to energy for the population.
“The bank is among the lead financiers
of the ambitious OMVG interconnection which is currently under implementation. It is in line with this dynamic project to build on the previous achievements aim to connect at least 61,000 -10, 00 for AfDB financing- households through the densification and extension network from soma and Brikama station,” he said.
He added that the ultimate objective of the project is to increase Gambian population access to affordable and reliable electricity service and it will involve the construction
of medium and low voltage lines erection to transformers and connection of customers in Lower River, North Bank, Central River and West Coast Region.
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