Page 12 - AfrElec Week 45

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Libya’s Zawiya refinery back on stream

LIBYA LIBYA’S 120,000 barrel per day (bpd) Zawiya an arbitration dispute.
oil refinery resumed operations on October 20, The Zawiya refinery 40 km west of Tripoli
state-owned National Oil Corp. has reported. depends mainly on oil supplies from the El Sha-
The refinery, Libya’s largest, was forced rara and El Feel oilfields, situated in areas con-
to close earlier this year after nearby clashes trolled by LNA’s forces. Sharara, Libya’s largest
between rebel and government forces. The oil deposit, restarted production in October after
Tripoli-based Government of National Accord months offline, causing national production to
(GNA) and the Libyan National Army (LNA) of surge to almost 900,000 bpd. El Feel is yet to
Khalifa Haftar reached a UN-brokered ceasefire come back on stream, however.
agreement in October. Both of Zawiya’s two 60,000 bpd processing
Two smaller refineries in Libya’s east – the trains are operational, according to NOC.
20,000 bpd Tobruk and 10,000 bpd Sarir plants Eastern Libya has been gripped for months by
– also restarted production recently, sources told shortages of diesel and gasoline as a result of the
Platts. The 220,000 bpd Ras Lanuf plant remains refinery’s downtime. Diesel is used in generators
offline, though, and there is no schedule for its to produce electricity, and so the problem has
restart. The refinery was shut in 2013 owing to therefore led to power cuts.™

NEWS IN BRIEF

POLICY Energy Transition Manager Nicky Ison, projects on the suspicion of corruption under
adding that the plan represents “a major the previous government and sought to
NSW plans 12GW of strategic pivot towards making Australia a renegotiate and realign the scheme, part of
renewable superpower.”
China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) which
renewables, 2GW of earlier state announcements of accelerated seeks to pave a trade route connecting China
The state government plan incorporates
through Pakistan to the Indian Ocean.
pumped hydro by 2030 renewable energy zones, a pumped hydro being named in big corruption complaints
Two years later, his Cabinet members are
roadmap, and the co-location of industry
New South Wales Energy and Environment with lowest-cost electricity generated by themselves involving the country’s power
Minister Matt Kean has launched another renewables. sector, where at least one-third of power
linchpin in the state’s plan to systematically It is a whole-of system approach built companies are involved in Chinese projects
transition from coal-fired power generation around five foundational pillars. under the CPEC’s umbrella.
to renewables-based electricity in a way that The 278-page inquiry report, compiled
provides economic benefits to the state’s by the Securities and Exchange Commission
regions and consumers. of Pakistan (SECP) and presented to Khan
The “NSW Electricity Infrastructure BELT AND ROAD in April, unearthed alleged irregularities
Roadmap” charts a path to the construction worth over $1.8bn in subsidies given to
of 12 GW of new large-scale solar and wind China’s Belt and Road going 16 independent power producers (IPPs)
capacity, attracting AUD 32bn ($23.3bn) including those belonging to Khan’s advisors
in private investment, creating 6,300 nowhere fast in Pakistan Razak Dawood and Nadeem Baber.
construction jobs and 2,800 ongoing jobs in These IPPs invested around 60bn rupees
2030. It also calls for a reduction in the annual Political unrest, foreign debt limits and the ($37.5mn) in establishing power plants and
electricity bills of businesses. Covid-19 pandemic have all conspired to earned over 400bn rupees ($2.5bn) in just
Kean’s announcement of the newly slow Chinese investment in Pakistan as over two to four years. The profits earned
formulated roadmap has also coincided with Beijing holds off on projects under the $62 by Chinese power companies were also
a global shift in support for climate change China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) scrutinised in the report
action, as President-elect Joe Biden outline the including a $6.8bn railway renovation plan. The SECP claimed Huang Shandong Ruyi
US re-engagement with the Paris Agreement Prime Minister Imran Khan, now under Pakistan Ltd (HSR) and Port Qasim Electric
and much more on the energy transition opposition fire for a range of complaints Power Co Ltd (PQEPCL) were together
front. Perhaps more important than the including allegations his government is overpaid by 483.6bn rupees ($3bn), including
numbers around the plan is the way in which military controlled, is also being criticised for for excess set-up costs and miscalculations
it integrates known resources with proven squandering a golden economic opportunity of internal rates of return allowed by the
technologies. for not prioritising and expediting big-ticket National Electric Power Regulatory Authority
“This is the biggest, most substantial Chinese infrastructure investments. and the Central Power Purchase Agency
commitment by any state government to a Soon after Khan assumed office in 2018, respectively.
clean energy transition,” said WWF-Australia the premier put on hold several CPEC

P12 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 45 12•November•2020