The Geothermal Development Company of Kenya (GDC) has made a call for investors who wish to invest in the development of geothermal steam at 2 locations in the Kenyan Rift Valley. Those interested please have a look at the following link:
http://www.gdc.co.ke/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=75&Itemid=172
The locations are:
1. Bogaria-Silali Block Phase 1 development of 800MW Geothermal Steam
2. Menegai Phase II 800MW Joint Steam Development
In both cases GDC will undertake the operational and technical side of the project while investing 20 - 40% of the projects' funds.
Invited potential investors will finance the remaining 60 - 80% of the projects, receiving regular payments(coupons) from the projects revenues over a period of 20 years until they have recouped their investments.
Investor groups are being asked to put up US$200m which is enough for the development of at least 200MW of electricty from the geothermal steam. My guess is that they intend to get 4 investors per project.
This is a structured approach and interesting way of financing a projected as opposed to taking a loan or obtaining equity investors.
All the best to GDC....
Friday, 29 June 2012
Ministry of Energy - Kenya calls for Expression of interest for the concessioning of Mui Basin Coal Block A & B
The Ministry of Energy(Kenya) is calling for expression of interest for the concessioning of Mui Basin
Coal Blocks A & B. If you are interested in this investment please have a look at this link: http://www.energy.go.ke/?page_id=699
Block C & D are already being developed by a private Chinese company, Jingu Group via its subsidiary Fenxi Industry Mining Group that won the contract to develop it.
A reliable contact tells me there are plans to put up a 300MW coal power plant in the coastal town of Kilifi to produce electricity from the coal. However, this plan is dogged by several issues such as:
1. Environmental lobbyists protesting against the pollution of the environment by future coal extracts.
2. Locals residents of the Mui basin wanting international standards to be applied in their compensation, resettlement and profit sharing i.e. 10% of the profits of the Chinese company.
This is a prudent move as they are taking a leaf from the South African Black Empowerment policy that stipulates that 25% of profits from mineral extractions go to local communities around the mines.
Block C & D are already being developed by a private Chinese company, Jingu Group via its subsidiary Fenxi Industry Mining Group that won the contract to develop it.
A reliable contact tells me there are plans to put up a 300MW coal power plant in the coastal town of Kilifi to produce electricity from the coal. However, this plan is dogged by several issues such as:
1. Environmental lobbyists protesting against the pollution of the environment by future coal extracts.
2. Locals residents of the Mui basin wanting international standards to be applied in their compensation, resettlement and profit sharing i.e. 10% of the profits of the Chinese company.
This is a prudent move as they are taking a leaf from the South African Black Empowerment policy that stipulates that 25% of profits from mineral extractions go to local communities around the mines.
Wednesday, 27 June 2012
Has fuel pricing regulation helped Kenyans?
In Kenya, petroleum fuel pump prices are regulated through price
capping. ‘Super’ and ‘Regular’ petrol as well as ‘automotive diesel’ and
‘kerosene’ are the better known fuel brands whose prices are capped this way.
In this regulation, the prices are reviewed on a monthly basis by the Energy
Regulatory Commission (ERC). This price control continues to be the subject of
debate, with different stakeholders arguing for or against it.
All petroleum products in Kenya are imported from the Middle
East. Their cost is dependent on actual cost of a barrel of crude oil or an
expected future one at the time of purchase. Crude oil and other petroleum
products are purchased through the open tender system of the Ministry of
Energy. Here, the oil company that quotes the lowest price gets to import for
the whole industry consignment for the month. However, this is going to change from,
July 2012, with the lone refinery, Kenya Petroleum Refinery Limited, having
been granted a license to import crude on its own behalf and sell its refined
products to oil marketers as a merchant. Previously, it charged a refining fee
for its service.
Going back to our discussion, the importing cost forms the basis
of the price capping formula.
Background
The Energy Regulatory Commission was established as the
energy sector regulator by the Energy Act (2006) in July 2007. In addition to
the economic and technical regulation of the petroleum sub sectors, the
Commission’s mandate includes electric power and renewable energy forms.
Its work includes setting, enforcing and reviewing tariffs, licensing, dispute
settlement and approval of power purchase.
The ERC has had the power to regulate fuel prices from inception
but the government, through the Ministry of Energy, declined to effect the regulation
due to lobbying from oil marketers. The price capping began only in December
2010 after views from stakeholders were collected over a period of one year.
Public, consumer rights groups and Members of Parliament pressure was the straw
that broke the camels back. With rising food and energy costs causing protests around
the world in the aftermath of global financial meltdown of late 2008. The
signs were clear that the Kenyan public was getting restive.
Rationale
It is not surprising that the Kenya government buckled under the
weight of this enormous pressure. The basic rationale was an easy one – the
increased cost of living was unbearable to the majority of Kenyans who are poor
folk. For once, the government appeared to be doing its prime duty of
protecting citizens from exploitation by ‘bourgeoisie’ oil marketers. The price
would now be set based on the cost of imported product, logistical costs, taxes,
a set wholesale and retail margin. This price would be effective from 15thof
a month until the 14th of the following one.
How was the cost of imported product to be determined? This
would be the average cost of the previous two months. Therein, begun the issues
of execution. What happens when prices are rising or dipping fast? Would all
logistical costs be taken care of? It turns out that some hidden costs, such as
demurrage costs, were not taken into account in the initial formula. Demurrage
costs tend to be significant due to clearance delays arising due to the
congestion at the Port of Mombasa.
Impact
Price capping initially had an impact, especially on petrol
prices, as it curtailed the sharp trajectory of prices, as prices shot upwards
on the international market. Some of the hidden costs were later included in
the capping formula after intense lobbying by the oil marketers. This improved
their marketing margin.
Poorer markets
An unwanted result of the capping is that petroleum product
prices in rural areas now cost more. The reverse was the case before price
capping. The formulae cumulatively adds transport costs from the urban depots
of the oil marketers with the further away from key depots, the higher the
prices. Previously, the marketers would simply total their costs and take care
of such market realities by segmenting the market and cross subsiding with
urban areas. Making prices in rural Kenya lower.
In addition, even in urban areas like Nairobi and Mombasa, fuel
prices are the same at all stations. Previously, fuel was more expensive in more
affluent areas. This way, oil marketers were able to recover their margin lost
in lower pricing in lower income market segments. It also allowed the volume
factor to come into play as lower income areas have much higher customer
densities. Since the ERC is now accountable for setting prices, the oil marketers
go for profit maximization, which sometimes result in windfall profits.
Kerosene
Kerosene, the poor man’s energy, has also become more expensive
due to ERC recommendations that don’t take cognizance of market realities. Previously, oil marketers
priced it at very thin margins. They leveraged it on their overall strategy of
benefit from diesel’s high sale volumes and petrol’s flexible pricing margins.
In fact, the main focus on kerosene was increasing market share around high
sales.
Conclusion
So, whereas the sharp price increases are no longer witnessed
allowing for some stability, the price caps have ended up hurting the
economically vulnerable i.e. rural folk and urban poor, who they were meant to
protect, in the first place.
Introduction
I have decided to start this blog to share with you the great story on Energy in Eastern Africa. This is an African story, like no other, a story at its infancy, with intrigues and great potential.
From the offshore discoveries in Mozambique and Tanzania of over 100 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. Quantities able to supply energy hungry Asia for a number of years. To the discovery of Oil in Uganda, Kenya and possibly Ethiopia and Somalia. I haven't even mentioned the proven oil deposits in the Sudans and the conflict its causing.
On the electricity side there is the development of the East African Power Pool. Where countries in Eastern African will trade power with each other. With those that have surplus like Ethiopia selling their electricity to those in deficit like Kenya and Uganda. This will mean investment in more high voltage wires accross the region.
The coal deposits in the Mui basin in eastern Kenya provide's another dimension to the growing energy mix.
Geothermal energy in the Great Rift Valley is an option for Ethiopia and Kenya. Kenya is exploring this resource that has a potential of producing 7,000MW of electricity. To put this into context Kenya's current installed generation capacity is a little above 1,300MW.
Rwanda is not to be left behind with its methane gas project that harnesses the gas from the depths of Lake Kivu to produce electricity.
There are stories of power black outs in most of region and the negative impact it has on business and investment. To occasional fuel shortages that are as a result of structural deficiencies, with legacy under-investment in oil infrastructure such as storage, pipelines and refineries.
This is a story i hope to talk about on this blog. Welcome...
From the offshore discoveries in Mozambique and Tanzania of over 100 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. Quantities able to supply energy hungry Asia for a number of years. To the discovery of Oil in Uganda, Kenya and possibly Ethiopia and Somalia. I haven't even mentioned the proven oil deposits in the Sudans and the conflict its causing.
On the electricity side there is the development of the East African Power Pool. Where countries in Eastern African will trade power with each other. With those that have surplus like Ethiopia selling their electricity to those in deficit like Kenya and Uganda. This will mean investment in more high voltage wires accross the region.
The coal deposits in the Mui basin in eastern Kenya provide's another dimension to the growing energy mix.
Geothermal energy in the Great Rift Valley is an option for Ethiopia and Kenya. Kenya is exploring this resource that has a potential of producing 7,000MW of electricity. To put this into context Kenya's current installed generation capacity is a little above 1,300MW.
Rwanda is not to be left behind with its methane gas project that harnesses the gas from the depths of Lake Kivu to produce electricity.
There are stories of power black outs in most of region and the negative impact it has on business and investment. To occasional fuel shortages that are as a result of structural deficiencies, with legacy under-investment in oil infrastructure such as storage, pipelines and refineries.
This is a story i hope to talk about on this blog. Welcome...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)