Page 6 - Vol 32 Issue 33 2121

news briefs

energy Chinese solar company Hanergy Thin Film Power Group has
won a deal to build the first solar PV plants in the Democratic
Republic of Congo.
Hanergy will deliver 400 MW of solar power from several
projects under an agreement with the DRC’s Ministry of Energy
Kenya and Hydraulic Resources of Democratic Republic of Congo.
Under the pact, Hanergy will help the ministry to develop
President Kenyatta Launches projects covering electricity, water, renewable energy and fuel.
Africa’s Biggest Wind Power The cooperation is intended to gradually reduce the energy
Plant scarcity faced by the mining industry in the provinces of
Katanga, Lualaba, Kasaï-Oriental, Kasaï-Central, Kivu and
About 70% of the nation’s electricity comes from renewable Sankuru by building the solar PV plants.
sources - more than three times the global average
Kenya recently unveiled Africa’s largest wind power plant, a
project aimed at reducing electricity costs and dependence on José Maboya Nzalingo, general secretary of the Ministry of
fossil fuels and moving the nation to meet its ambitious goal of Energy and Hydraulic Resources, said the Hanergy deal “is a
100% green energy next year. step ahead towards meeting DRC’s original target of 65 per
cent electrification by 2025, plus new sustainable development
The sprawling wind farm of 365 turbines on the shores of Lake goals of universal electricity access by 2030”.
Turkana in northern Kenya was designed to boost the nation’s
electricity supply by 13 percent, giving more Kenyans access at “We’re confident of providing sustainable and stable energy
a lower cost, President Uhuru Kenyatta said at its launch. supply in the Democratic Republic of Congo.”
President Uhuru Kenyatta commissioned the Lake Turkana The 400 MW-worth of power stations are expected to solve
Wind Power (LTWP) plant in Marsabit County, the largest wind the problem of energy inadequacy in the DRC and also create
farm in the continent. around 10,000 jobs, plus provide education to create 100
technology specialists.
The plant, boasting of 365 wind turbines with a capacity of 850
kilovolts each, will deliver 310 megawatts of clean energy to Guo Bin, chief executive of Hanergy Uganda, said: “We recognise
the national grid. the potential of renewable energy in Congolese market and
have set out a roadmap to accelerate our expansion plan in the
The $680 million project was launched at a ceremony attended country while supporting the need for sustainable and stable
by Deputy President William Ruto, Energy Cabinet Secretary energy supply.
Charles Keter, foreign diplomats and other high ranking
government officials. He said the 400 MW power plants were “primarily aimed at
meeting the on-peak demand of nearby mining companies
LTWP project board Chairman Mugo Kibati said the project and reduce local diesel consumption, while reducing carbon
undertaken though public-private partnership will have wide- emissions substantially”.
raging benefits for the country. Even though the DRC has extensive mineral resources, its
Kenya Electricity Transmission Company (KETRACO) indicated national electrification access rate is low – most recent figures
the country will save Sh1 billion annually in fuel imports used put it at just 9 per cent.
to generate electricity.
To evacuate power from the Loiyangalani sub-station to Suswa,
in Narok County, KETRACO set up a 438km long transmission mining
line.
It traverses through five counties which will now be connected
to the national grid.
Kibati said high economic growth is expected to be witnessed Mozambique
along the areas the transmission line passes through.
“We will have viable projects that were not viable before,” he Call for investment in a coal
asserted. mine
DRC The Polish company JSW Adams plans to mine coal in Zumbo
district, in the western Mozambican province of Tete, according
to a report on Radio Mozambique.
Hanergy to deliver 400 MW of An Indian company has discovered a deposit estimated at 320
solar to Democratic Republic of million tonnes of coal in the locality of Mucangadzi, about 100
Congo kilometres from the Zumbo district capital.

6 | AFRICAN POWER Mining & Oil Review Vol 28, Issue 29, 2019 Celebrating 10 years of excellence