Page 14 - AfrElec Week 09 2021
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AfrElec                                     NEWS IN BRIEF                                             AfrElec







       built on the right bank of the Lulua River, a   update for Lesedi power   will run from the Lesedi project to the town
       sub-tributary of the Congo River. According                              of Serowe where it will connect to the existing
       to the DR Congolese government, before New   project                     power grid. Initial generation is proposed to
       Delhi decided to stop construction, work was                             be up to 2MW of electricity. Funding required
       already 55% complete for the civil engineering   Tlou Energy has announced update on   for phase one is ~USD $10m which can be
       part. According to the government, 75% of   funding for development of the Lesedi power   staged if necessary or prudent to do so.
       the power station’s electrical equipment has   project, aiming to deliver cleaner electricity in   Phase two funding is for the expansion
       already been acquired.              Botswana and southern Africa using gas and   of electricity generation up to 10MW.
         This equipment is not installed on the site.   solar power.            This will involve drilling gas wells and the
       As for the electrical transformers acquired   Tlou Energy has been working with a   purchase of additional electricity generation
       at a cost of $109 million, the DR Congolese   number of parties to secure funding for the   assets. Funding required for phase two is
       government has decided to store them   Lesedi project. The company is seeking project  approximately US$20mn. Upon successful
       in several towns in the country, pending   finance to build a transmission line from the   completion of phase one and two, the
       the restart of the project. In 4 years, the   Lesedi power project to the existing electricity   Company plans to expand the project beyond
       construction machinery has been dismantled,   grid as well as electrical sub-stations, gas and   10MW.
       a situation that should complicate any   solar generation assets.          As expected, the company has received
       resumption of work.                    The most advanced project finance   correspondence from advisors assisting the
         “We only have 25% left in terms of   discussions are currently with a very reputable   Government of Botswana in the execution of
       equipment and 40 or 35% for the civil   Botswana based entity. Due to confidentiality   their Coal Bed Methane (CBM) programme
       engineering works. We are going to make   the company is unable to name the entity   for the development of up to 100MW of CBM
       another assessment because most of   concerned at this time. However, we can   fuelled pilot power plants.
       the equipment is not on site, it is still in   confirm that their investment committee
       Lubumbashi,” says Eustache Muhanzi,   and board have discussed and are favourably
       the Ministry of Hydraulic Resources and   disposed to Tlou’s proposal. They are now
       Electricity of the Democratic Republic of   proceeding to get a third-party technical
       Congo (DRC).                        review of the project as part of their due
                                           diligence process. Once this report is assessed
                                           an investment decision can be made.
                                              The Lesedi project is proposed to be
       COAL                                developed in two phases. Phase one involves
                                           transmission line construction, sub-stations,
       Tlou revealed funding               grid connection, electricity generators and
                                           potentially the drilling of additional gas wells.
                                           The approximately 100Km transmission line











































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