Energy

Ivory Coast sanctions new power projects

Azito power plant in the Ivory Coast (Image source: African Development Bank)

Ivory Coast has formally approved a tranche of power projects, including the 470 MW Taboth plant, led by Genser Energy, as it seeks to bolster national energy supplies

The various projects were approved at a 5th August Council of Ministers meeting in Abidjan, chaired by Ivorian president Alassane Ouattara.

The list includes a concession agreement for the Taboth project, comprising the design, financing, construction, full ownership, operation, maintenance and transfer of ownership for a 470 MW combined cycle power plant.

Headquartered in Washington, D.C., Genser Energy is an independent, private energy firm with operations across West Africa.

The project is in addition to the Atinkou 390 MW gas power project — also known as CIPREL V — located in Taboth village, Jacqueville, which is now fully operational.

Separately, Ivorian officials signed off a decree for the provision of rental and operation services of a 225 MW floating electricity production unit in Abidjan.

An agreement for the provision of services for the rental and operation of a modular thermal power plant, with a cumulative capacity of 40 MW, in Attakro and Abrobakro, was also approved by officials.

Few details were provided on these projects, though a statement issued by the Presidency, flagged “the POWER 32 Convention on a combined cycle thermal power plant of about 225 MW” and “the PIPS Convention on a modular thermal power plant of 40 MW.”

The trio of projects reflect moves to lift generation capacity in the West African country in response to demand; together, the plans and projects bring a cumulative 735 MW of power generating capacity.

“As part of the government’s electricity generation fleet development policy, private operators have been encouraged to submit offers for the financing, design, construction, operation and maintenance of new production units and related infrastructure, in order to meet the strong growth in energy demand observed in recent years,” the official statement noted.

Heavy investment is also going into the country’s transmission and distribution infrastructure.

In May, the African Development Bank and Islamic Development Bank approved almost €20mn in funding to extend electricity access to more than 100,000 households and improve service delivery across 18 regions.

Abidjan has an ambition to achieve universal access to electricity by 2030.

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Seriti Green unveils Mpumalanga wind farm

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Launch ceremony for the new Mpumalanga wind farm (Image source: Seriti Green)

Renewable energy company Seriti Green has announced the start of commercial operations at its Ummbila Emoyeni wind farm in Mpumalanga, providing a fresh source of clean energy for the area’s coal mining sector

The launch in South Africa follows the completion of 25 turbines, the first 155 MW phase of the energy project.

It forms part of a planned 900 MW renewable energy programme in Mpumalanga province, supported by new Vunumoya transmission and substation infrastructure, also delivered by Seriti Green.

At the launch event, the company also signed a new agreement for a further R10bn (US$619mn) of investment – bringing the total to R25bn (US$1.5bn) – for two further phases of development, working with strategic partners Goldwind, Tractionel and Stefanutti Stocks, and customers including energy traders Etana, Energy Exchange and NOA.

Mike Teke, chairman of Seriti Green, flagged the significance of “coal and renewables together” adding that “in just a few years, working closely with government, we have delivered.”

Seriti Green has also opened a new Mpumalanga headquarters in Bethal in support of its work.

Peter Venn, CEO of Seriti Green, also hailed the significance of the wind power project in one of South Africa’s key mining regions.

“It is the result of hard work by people who were determined to prove that South Africa can build infrastructure of global significance, attract investment at scale, and help secure our nation’s energy future,” he said.

The project thus far has accumulated more than three million hours of work, with not a single lost-time injury, he added.

“When we gather again, we will not simply be celebrating another wind farm, we will be demonstrating that wind farms, solar farms and batteries can form part of a sustainable future for South Africa, and the energy transition is just, transforming communities and industries, presenting opportunities while decarbonising to impact climate change.”

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Inova, Itochu plan Moroccan waste energy plant

Inova-waste-energy-plant-Morocco-artist-impression

Artistic impression of the planned waste-to-energy project (Image source: Kanadevia Corporation)

Kanadevia Inova AG (Inova) has signed a concession agreement for a 33.5-year waste-to-energy project in Morocco, scheduled for first operation in 2030

A wholly-owned subsidiary of Kanadevia Corporation, Inova’s role will cover the design, financing, construction and operation of the facility, to be located in Casablanca.

“The project will construct a waste-to-energy plant adjacent to Médiouna landfill, one of the largest landfill sites in Africa,” a Kanadevia Corporation statement read.

“The facility will process approximately 1.5 million tonnes of waste per year and have a power generation capacity of approximately 126 MWe. The objective is to hygienically treat waste while effectively utilising it as an energy resource.”

Inova will carry out the project with Nareva, a leading Moroccan integrated energy company, and Japan’s Itochu Corporation.

A Special Purpose Company (SPC) is to be established to implement the project while proceeding with engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) and long-term maintenance agreements.

The statement added that the facility will incorporate advanced technologies, including Inova’s large-scale combustion and boiler systems and its proprietary Autaro automatic combustion control system.

In addition, it will include a 50 MW solar power facility, a 4 MW landfill gas recovery and utilisation facility and a leachate treatment unit.

“By reducing methane emissions, which have a global warming potential approximately 28 times greater than CO2, the project is expected to generate around 1 TWh of electricity annually, equivalent to the annual electricity demand of approximately one million people,” the statement noted.

The facility has also been designed to enable the future introduction of carbon capture technologies (CCUS).

“By capturing, utilising, or storing CO2 contained in flue gases, the project aims to further reduce greenhouse gas emissions and support long-term decarbonisation.”

Malawi unveils first standalone utility-scale BESS project

On-site trigeneration plant for Ivorian pasta factory

JIVO Energy hails Malawi BESS project teams

At the inauguration of Malawi’s BESS project (Image source: JIVO Energy)

Renewable energy company, JIVO Energy, has outlined its role following the recent commissioning of Malawi's first grid-scale battery energy storage system (BESS)

The 20MW/ 40MWh utility-scale BESS project is located at the Kanengo Substation in Lilongwe and was officially inaugurated recently by Dr. Jean Mathanga, Minister of Energy, alongside representatives from the Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (ESCOM) and other government officials.

The ceremony marked the start of commercial operations for Malawi's first utility-scale BESS, a project that is expected to strengthen grid reliability, enhance energy security and support the integration of renewable energy into Malawi's electricity network.

JIVO Energy served as the turnkey engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor, delivering the project from engineering and procurement through construction, testing and commissioning.

“It is a proud moment that proves JIVO Energy’s capacity to execute complex, high-impact utility-scale energy projects to international standards using Tier-I equipment,” said Jorge Lascas, the company’s chief commercial officer speaking during the commissioning ceremony.

Lascas also recognised the contribution of the project team.

“JIVO Energy’s team dedication and hard work made this project possible. Their passion, resilience, and attention to detail have been remarkable. They met every engineering challenge head-on with unwavering commitment.”

The commissioning of the Kanengo BESS marks an important step in Malawi’s efforts to strengthen and modernise its electricity network.

It was supported by US$20mn in grant financing from the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet, a nonprofit founded in 2021 by The Rockefeller Foundation, IKEA Foundation and Bezos Earth Fund.

JIVO Energy has been engaged in renewable energy business in Africa and beyond since 2018 focused on project development, EPC, operations & maintenance, and investing in renewable energy projects.

The company has implemented projects in Kenya, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, Malawi, Cape Verde, Sao Tome, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Burkina Faso, Liberia and Zambia.

It has constructed (or has under construction) more than 100MWp of solar PV and more than 60MWh of BESS, with another 200MWp+ of solar PV and 150MWh+ of BESS under development across 12 African countries.

First Quantum diversifies Zambia energy supply

Rethinking energy supply options in Zambian mining (Image source: Adobe Stock)

First Quantum Minerals continues to diversify its energy supply options for its mine sites in Zambia amid persistent shortages from the national power system

In a Q2 results statement, it reported that various wind and solar projects were advancing, through which it intends to take offtake power.

“Supplementary power-sourcing arrangements are expected to remain in place through mid-2027 as hydropower resources recover and structural constraints on the national grid continue to ease,” the statement noted.

The energy crunch stems from hydro generation shortages and the force majeure declared by Zesco, the state power utility, in early 2024 which remain in effect.

According to the Q2 statement, Zambia’s national power system continued to recover during the quarter.

Hydrological conditions improved materially through the wet season, with Lake Kariba reaching approximately 48% usable storage in late June 2026, compared with approximately 23% at the same time in 2025.

Zesco continues to manage the reservoir conservatively while storage levels continue to rebuild to mitigate the system from future drought risk.

Crucially, First Quantum said the company experienced no material power-related production impact during the quarter.

“To ensure operational continuity, the company maintained its diversified power-sourcing strategy,” the statement read.

During the quarter, approximately 80% of the company’s Zambian power requirements was sourced from imports and domestic independent power producers, with approximately 20% supplied by Zesco.

These arrangements, implemented in coordination with the state power utility and other stakeholders, support grid stability, reduce reliance on Kariba-based generation, and allow for continued rebuilding of reservoir levels, the statement added.

“During the quarter, progress was made on medium- and long-term power sourcing solutions,” it noted.

“Development of the previously announced wind and solar power project, from which the company intends to offtake power, remains on track. Joint grid-stability initiatives with the state power utility also advanced. For the Kansanshi STATCOM project, major equipment orders have been placed, manufacturing is underway, and site installation is scheduled to commence in early 2027.”

The Kansanshi STATCOM project is a major joint grid-stability initiative between First Quantum and Zesco.

The mining group added that supplementary power-sourcing arrangements are expected to remain in place through mid-2027 as hydropower resources recover and structural constraints on the national grid continue to ease.

“While Zesco-supplied power is expected to be progressively reinstated as reservoir levels rebuild, the company expects to maintain a diversified supply mix to support operational reliability and manage system risk.”

In Zambia, First Quantum operates the Kansanshi mine and smelter in Solwezi, and the Sentinel copper mine and the Enterprise nickel mine in Kalumbila.

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