Ghana has taken an important step on the road to achieving nuclear power, passing the Ghana Nuclear Regulatory Bill   The bill, which is currently awaiting presidential assent before being officially signed into law, details the establishment of a regulatory authority to ensure the safe and responsible use of nuclear materials.   A number of relevant international conventions were also ratified by the legislation, including the.... Read more »

Posted on : Friday , 21st August 2015

Uganda's retail power distributor Umeme Power Company is reported to be investing US$24mn in automated meter-reading technology that uses smart meters to help it curb energy losses among large commercial consumers   A smart meter records consumption of electric energy, relaying that information back to the company for monitoring and billing. It also allows for two-way communication between customers and the utility provider's server. The.... Read more »

Posted on : Friday , 21st August 2015

  The construction of Akiira Geothermal plant in Kenya has boosted power supply in Kenya after the firm signed a 70MW power deal with Kenya Power that will boost the chances of attaining the 5,000MW goal set by the Kenyan Government.   The 70megawatt power purchase agreement (PPA) between the two companies will last for 25 years and will see Kenya Power buy electricity from Akiira at Sh9.3 per unit (9.23 US cents), which is about.... Read more »

Posted on : Thursday , 20th August 2015

 The Ugandan and two companies from Germany and France has signed a US$ 76m agreement that will see the construction of the Muzizi hydro-power project come to birth and help in providing power to more than 60,000 homes.   Germany Development Bank (KfW) and the French Development Agency are the two other companies that are financing the construction of Muzizi hydro-power project. Under the mutual reliance initiative, KfW will.... Read more »

Posted on : Wednesday , 19th August 2015

 The construction of a nuclear plant in Ghana depends on the Ghana Nuclear Regulatory Bill that is awaiting presidential assent.   The Bill when fully operational will establish the Ghana Nuclear Regulatory Authority with clear functions and responsibilities and to provide for the beneficial and peaceful uses of nuclear energy.   The Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC) did sign a Memorandum of Agreement with the State Atomic.... Read more »

Posted on : Wednesday , 19th August 2015

 Construction of a US$44M wind power plant in Kenya is set to begin in Meru county. The project is spearheaded by Maralal Energy Limited.   Maralal Energy which is a privately-owned Kenyan firm disclosed that the money will be used to construct the wind farm whose electricity will be included in the national grid.   Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen) and Bluesea Energy are also currently undertaking projects that.... Read more »

Posted on : Tuesday , 18th August 2015

 Construction of power projects in Tanzania is set to begin after 4 companies in the country were announced beneficiaries of US president Barrack Obama’s Power Africa initiative. The companies will eventually help in the expansion of renewable energy solution which targets rural areas.   The grants to construct the power projects in Tanzania which have been awarded by General Electric Africa in conjunction with the US African.... Read more »

Posted on : Tuesday , 18th August 2015

Abuja — The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has signed a fresh agreement with the Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON) to ensure strict adherence to safety and reliability standards in the generation, transmission, distribution and consumption of electricity in Nigeria. NERC and SON signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to ensure that electricity generation and usage in the country is done within the strict.... Read more »

Posted on : Tuesday , 18th August 2015

Turkey is set to construct 370MW power plant in Ghana after the country signed a 5years Power Purchasing Agreement (PPA) with Aksa Enerji, a Turkish based company. However, the power plant is expected to be up and running by end of June next year. According to Aksa Enerji, the constructed plant will not only provide power, but also increase the operational profitability significantly. Although the parliament of Ghana approved the.... Read more »

Posted on : Tuesday , 18th August 2015

Feasibility studies on the construction of the $3 billion Batoka Hydro Power plant on the Zambezi River by Zimbabwe and Zambia have shown that the project will generate 2 400 megawatts, up from the previously projected 1 600MW. Energy and Power Development Minister Dr Samuel Undenge said in an interview last Thursday that the two countries will share the power equally.   Speaking to The Herald on the sidelines of the commissioning of a.... Read more »

Posted on : Tuesday , 18th August 2015

 Kengen will soon commission its expanded Ngong wind power plant to scale up contribution from renewable sources. The wind farm, which was put up in three phases near Nairobi, has been generating 5.5MW to the national grid. Speaking in Naivasha yesterday, Kengen CEO Albert Mugo did not give the exact date of the launch. He said wind generation constitutes one per cent of total generation. The Ngong phase II project, which started in 2009,.... Read more »

Posted on : Tuesday , 18th August 2015

Despite slow growth globally, local economic growth is expected to increase to at least 3% over the next three years, President Jacob Zuma said on Tuesday. "[This is] because we expect the electricity constraints to ease," he told reporters at the Union Buildings in Pretoria. It was estimated that the electricity shortage was costing the economy one percentage point in economic growth. "South Africa continues to be confronted.... Read more »

Posted on : Tuesday , 18th August 2015