Jubaili Bros completes its latest installation in Nigeria (Image source: Jubaili Bros)

Jubaili Bros has announced the delivery of three 2000kVA diesel generator sets to an undisclosed client in Nigeria

In a statement released on its social media, it reported that each unit was engineered to meet specific load requirements and site constraints, incorporating a remote radiator cooling system for efficient thermal management and installation flexibility.

“Part of our Marapco X-Series, these generator sets are designed for high-performance, mission-critical applications, delivering operational stability, optimised fuel efficiency and compliance with applicable emissions standards,” it noted.

With advanced acoustic engineering to control sound pressure levels and a configuration aligned with environmental and regulatory requirements, the genset units are designed to ensure reliable power while meeting both technical and sustainability expectations.

“This project reflects our capability to design and deliver customised, high-capacity power solutions tailored to complex operational needs,” the company added in the post.

Jubaili Bros recently completed the factory testing of new MWM gas generator sets at its Nigeria facility, the latest step in a new partnership with the global genset producer.

The company said it marked a major step forward in its journey toward high-capacity, efficient gas power solutions, delivered with the quality, precision, and OEM-backed assurance its projects demand.

It called it a proud moment for its team “and a strong signal of what’s ahead in gas power execution.”

It added that the new units are part of a larger integrated power package combining gas and diesel generation, synchronisation, and ABB transformers engineered for reliability, flexibility, and performance.

Jubaili Bros announced its collaboration with MWM last year.

MWM is a provider of sustainable gas gensets, to provide large, gas-fuelled electrical power solutions across Africa and the Middle East.

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Powering growth in Africa's data centre industry (Image source: Adobe Stock)

Mourad Younis, cloud and services provider segment leader, Schneider Electric, Middle East & Africa, explores new energy supply options for powering the continent’s data centres

Africa’s digital economy is scaling faster than its power systems. Cloud regions, artificial intelligence (AI) workloads, fintech, health platforms and government digitisation are all driving a wave of new data centres across the continent.

Yet too many of these facilities are still designed around a single assumption: when the grid fails, diesel will save the day. In an era of constrained grids, volatile fuel logistics and tightening Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) expectations, this approach is no longer fit for purpose.

The reality on the ground is familiar to every African operator. Grid instability is the rule, not the exception. Voltage sags and swells, harmonics and frequency excursions threaten both IT uptime and cooling performance. Simply adding more protection devices does not solve the problem if operators cannot ‘see’ what is happening on their networks. Power quality visibility, through advanced metering and analytics, has become as strategic as server monitoring.

At the same time, capacity constraints on medium-voltage (MV) feeders and delays to substation upgrades are slowing down expansion from 5 - 20 MW starter sites to 50-100 MW and beyond. The risk is clear: if power infrastructure cannot scale at the same pace as digital demand, the continent’s cloud ambitions will stall.

Rethinking reliability: grid-to-chip, not genset-first

If Africa wants resilient, competitive and sustainable data centres, the starting point must be a grid-to-chip architecture rather than a genset-first mentality. That means treating the entire stack, from utility interconnection down to the rack, as a digitally-orchestrated system.

On the MV side, digital switchgear with built‑in protection and automation can isolate faults in milliseconds and enable self-healing topologies, improving uptime without brute-force redundancy. SF₆‑free switchgear technologies also remove a major greenhouse gas from the reliability equation while easing permitting for large campuses.

Closer to the IT load, high-efficiency, lithium-ion UPS systems are increasingly acting as both critical protection and grid assets. When combined with static transfer switches and modular low‑voltage distribution, they support selective coordination and enable facilities to ride through short disturbances without falling back on diesel. Layered on top, power quality meters and monitoring platforms provide analytics, alarms and compliance reporting that facility managers and regulators can trust.

This is not theory. Facilities that design for end‑to‑end selectivity, maintain total harmonic distortion below 5 %, keep power factor above 0.95 and hold voltage within a tight band at critical buses see fewer nuisance trips, smoother cooling performance and more predictable SLAs.

Cutting diesel dependence with data and automation

The biggest mindset shift is moving from ‘backup at all costs’ to ‘digital energy management’. Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) connected at MV level, combined with UPS ride‑through, can provide minutes to hours of autonomy for most grid events. When operators use microgrid controllers and energy management systems to orchestrate grid, PV, BESS and generators in real time, they can materially reduce fuel burn without compromising uptime.

In practice, this means:

• Using peak shaving and demand limiting to reduce generator starts and spinning reserve.

• Prioritising solar PV during the day to offset low‑voltage loads.

• Dynamically shedding non‑critical loads—such as some cooling or auxiliary systems—during severe events, using DCIM and BMS integration.

• Running UPS and power conditioning in carefully validated high‑efficiency modes while keeping power quality within strict limits.

Indicative results from such approaches show 30–60 % less generator runtime and 10–20 % reductions in energy-related OPEX, alongside substantial Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions savings. For operators courting global hyperscalers and cloud service providers, those numbers are no longer ‘nice to have’ - they are part of the investment case.

Utilities and regulators: from constraint to collaborator

None of this happens in a vacuum. Utilities and regulators sit at the centre of whether Africa’s data centre boom will deepen grid stress or strengthen grid resilience. Too often, engagement with utilities starts late and focuses narrowly on connection capacity. That needs to change.

Early interconnection studies, joint protection coordination and clear roadmaps for 10 to 50 to 100 MW expansion should be standard for strategic digital sites. Data centres are uniquely positioned to offer grid services — reactive power support, fast frequency response and demand response using their UPS and storage fleets. If tariff structures, power purchase agreements and wheeling frameworks recognise this value, both sides win.

There is also a capability dimension. Co‑developed training on power quality standards, protection philosophies and digital operations can help utilities and operators converge on a common language. That collaboration is decisive in markets where policymakers see digital infrastructure as a lever for inclusive growth, but where grid investment will take years to catch up.

Design patterns for Africa’s digital decade

What does a practical roadmap look like? For many African markets, a phased approach makes sense.

Phase 1 (5–15 MW): Focus on power quality remediation, lithium‑ion UPS, modest PV penetration and 30–60 minutes of BESS, underpinned by SCADA visibility.

Phase 2 (15–40 MW): Grow PV to 30–40 % of daytime load, extend storage to 1–2 hours, introduce sophisticated microgrid control and enable demand response.

Phase 3 (40–100 MW): Build 2–4 hours of storage, leverage PPAs and wheeling, provide ancillary services to the grid and expand MV feeders with advanced, SF₆‑free switchgear.

Across all phases, integrating cooling into the energy strategy is critical. Precision cooling with variable-speed drives, tied into building and energy management systems, can support load shifting and typically improves Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) by 0.1 to 0.2 - margins that matter in hot climates and volatile grids.

Africa’s digital decade will be defined as much by electrons as by data. Those operators, policymakers and utilities that treat power as a strategic digital enabler, not just an engineering constraint, will shape where cloud regions land, where AI runs and which economies capture the value. Moving beyond diesel dependency towards hybrid, automated, sustainable energy systems is not only possible; it is now imperative for Africa’s data‑driven future.

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Switchgear integrated into the mini substation forms a key component of the fully assembled power distribution solution supplied by Trafo Power Solutions. (Image source: Trafo Power Solutions)

As mining operations expand, deepen and adapt to shifting production demands, the need for flexible and scalable electrical infrastructure is becoming increasingly critical

According to David Claassen, managing director of Trafo Power Solutions, designing systems that can evolve alongside a mine’s lifecycle helps operators avoid expensive redesigns while maintaining operational continuity.

“Mining is dynamic by nature, and this fundamentally shapes our approach to designing transformers, modular substations and other solutions for the sector,” explained David Claassen, managing director of Trafo Power Solution. “Mines often need to move equipment around, for instance, and even the load requirements may change over time - so we design with that in mind.”

For Trafo Power Solutions, this means engaging with customers at the earliest possible stage of project development. In many cases, involvement begins before formal feasibility studies are completed. During concept or desktop study phases, mining houses typically require high level budget estimates, and this is where the company starts contributing to long term electrical planning.

“We get involved at pre-feasibility or even concept stage,” commented Claassen.

“Our tender and proposals department is geared to provide indicative costing very quickly - using our wide reference base where we have detailed data on our extensive installed footprint.”

Early collaboration allows the company to influence key technical decisions before they are locked in. By participating in discussions around transformer capacity, substation configuration and overall layout, Trafo Power Solutions helps ensure that infrastructure decisions reflect not only immediate power requirements but also the full life of mine strategy.

“By talking to customers early and asking the right questions, we develop an understanding of what their future plans are and can design accordingly. Instead of providing a 2 MVA transformer, we might suggest a 3 MVA unit that fits the same footprint, to avoid the cost and operational disruption of upgrading,” remarked Claassen.

Designing for future growth also supports better cost management at start up. Mines are increasingly opting for containerised modular substations because of their inherent mobility and scalability, as well as their reduced need for extensive civil works. Unlike conventional brick and mortar installations, modular substations can be relocated as mining activities shift, enabling phased developments and changing production priorities.

“Modular substations lend themselves to flexibility because of their plug-and-play design,” said Claassen. “Our skid-mounted or mobile options are ideal for mining operations where relocation is expected, whether underground or on surface.”

By prioritising adaptability over fixed, once off solutions, Trafo Power Solutions ensures that electrical systems remain aligned with operational realities over the long term. Mines are therefore better positioned to increase output, adjust layouts or accelerate expansion without being restricted by infrastructure designed solely for initial conditions.

“Our aim is to give our clients the best possible experience at all levels - and at every stage in the life of their project,” he concluded. “We take responsibility, we ask the right questions and we make sure the infrastructure we supply keeps supporting them long into the future.”

Powering South Africa with solar energy (Image source: Adobe Stock)

South African renewable energy developer Mulilo has reached financial close on the 219 MW Orkney Solar photovoltaic (PV) project in the country’s North West Province

A Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) has been concluded with Etana Energy in 'record time', a Mulilo statement noted, demonstrating “strong market confidence” in the project’s technical and commercial fundamentals.

It cited the support of shareholders, Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) and Norfund, as well as close collaboration with Mulilo’s funding, legal and advisory partners, including Absa Bank, Standard Bank South Africa, Fasken, Arup, PepperTree Capital and ENS Africa.

“The financial close of the Orkney Solar PV project marks an important milestone in advancing Mulilo’s commitment to strengthening South Africa’s energy security,” said Jan Fourie, Mulilo’s CEO.

“This achievement reflects the strength of our partnerships, the capabilities of our team, and the growing role of private-sector generation in solving South Africa’s energy challenges. We are honoured to work with Etana Energy and our partners to deliver clean, reliable power and lasting economic value to the North West Province and beyond.”

The project, located approximately 11 km south-west of the town of Orkney, represents an important milestone in the company’s strategy to deliver 1 GW of new generation capacity annually.

Mulilo now boasts a development pipeline exceeding 30 GW, across wind, solar and battery storage projects.

Once operational, the Orkney solar PV facility is expected to generate approximately 478 GWh of clean electricity each year which will be sold to Etana’s customers across South Africa.

This will result in the avoidance of over 500,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide-equivalent emissions annually and will provide enough energy to power approximately 210,000 households.

The facility will connect to the Jersey Distribution Substation via a newly constructed 24 km overhead transmission line for integration into the regional electricity network.

It has also been designed to be battery energy storage system (BESS) ready, enabling future integration of storage capacity to enhance grid flexibility and dispatchability.

“This project marks another significant step in Etana Energy’s growth, with the Orkney solar plant being more than double the size of our first solar project under construction with Mulilo,” said Jay Govender, chief commercial and legal officer at Etana Energy.

“The speed at which this project has reached financial close demonstrates the strength of our partnership with Mulilo, the bankability of our respective structures, and the accelerating demand from customers for reliable, large-scale renewable electricity delivered through Etana’s platform.”

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