At a conference hosted by Israel’s branch of CIGRE, the International Council on Large Electric Systems, there were discussions on developing by 2020 a €5-6 billion electrical super-grid running from Spain, into northern Africa, to the eastern Mediterranean, and then back into Europe via Turkey.
State-run power transmission utility Power Grid Corp. of India Ltd (PGCIL) plans to enter the power generation sector abroad as part of its diversification plans.
Dr. Sam Amadi, Chairman of Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), has expressed his regrets that despite considerable efforts to increase generation, the country has only been able to achieve a capacity of 4000 MW, when it actually needs over 20 000 MW.
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has announced that a consortium including the US power company Symbion Power, and Finagestion of France, were set to invest $600 million into Nigeria’s distribution network and generation plants.
Nigeria will require a regular capital investment of NGN520 billion ($3.4 billion) to increase its electricity generating capacity from the current level of 4.2GW to 13GW by 2013, according to Nigerian Minister of Power, Prof Bart Nnaji.
A board has been approved for Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading (NBET), representing a significant step forward in Nigeria’s power reform programme.
In order to match its growing demand the UAE will achieve nearly 40 per cent growth in its electricity generation by 2020, according to the UAE Power Report from Business Monitor International (BMI).
Ghana is to increase power generation from the current 3000 MW to 5000 MW by 2015 in order to become a net exporter of power.
India currently has 80 000 MW of thermal generation under construction, with commissioning scheduled for 2017, according to government sources. But there have been warnings that coal linkages for half of the plants have yet to be obtained.
Tanzania is seeking international and domestic investors for wind generation projects to boost power output in the country.