Daily Energy News
Policy & Regulatory
MNRE (India) plans wind-solar hybrid auctions and extends deadlines
17 Aug 2020The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) of India has announced various measures related to renewable power project developments. The MNRE has identified areas suitable for hybrid wind-solar power projects and plans to conduct hybrid auctions instead of separate wind and solar auctions, to solve land and connectivity problems.
Read moreEgypt cancels the construction of a 200 MW solar PV project
17 Aug 2020The Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company (EETC) has decided to cancel a recently launched tender for the construction of a 200 MW solar PV project in the West Nile region of Egypt, considering that Egypt had reached surplus electricity in a context of low electricity demand. However, it hasn’t cancelled the tender for 600 MW of projects that will be developed in partnership with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) in the West Nile region. Thirteen companies had qualified for the 200 MW solar project, including Masdar, ACWA Power, First Solar and Orascom Construction.
Read moreIsrael cancels 4.9 GW of gas-fired power projects
14 Aug 2020The Israeli Ministry of Energy has requested the National Planning and Building Council to cancel four gas-fired power plant projects with a total capacity of 4,860 MW.
Read moreEnergy & Climate Markets
Spain approves closure of 3 coal-fired power plants (1.2 GW)
17 Aug 2020The Spanish Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (MITECO) has allowed the closure of three coal-fired power plants totalling 1,205 MW, namely Iberdrola’s 348 MW Lada-4 power plant in Asturias, Naturgy’s 557 MW Meirama
Read moreFortum seeks to extend Loviisa nuclear plant’s operating life (Finland)
17 Aug 2020The Finnish power group Fortum has started the environmental impact assessment (EIA) procedure to extend operation at the two Loviisa nuclear reactors. The 507 MW Loviisa-1 pressurized water reactor (PWR) was commissioned in May 1977 and its operating license runs until the end of 2027, while the second reactor, rated 507 MW too, was commissioned in January 1981 and is licensed to operate until the end of 2030. Following the 18-month EIA, Fortum may be allowed to continue operating the reactors for a maximum of 20 years after the end of the current operating licenses.
Read moreEskom (South Africa) resumes load shedding after plant breakdowns
17 Aug 2020The South African power utility Eskom has resumed load shedding due to the breakdowns of four power generating units at the Kriel power plant.
Read moreInfrastructure & Investments
JGC will upgrade the Basrah refinery in Iraq
17 Aug 2020South Refineries Company, an oil refining company under the Ministry of Oil of Iraq, has awarded JGC a JPY 400bn (US$3.75bn) engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning (EPCC) lump sum contract to upgrade the 140,000 bbl/d Basrah refinery in southern Iraq. The project would consist in installing a 55,000 bbl/d vacuum distillation unit, a 34,500 bbl/d fluid catalytic cracking unit and a 40,000 bbl/d diesel desulfurization unit. The upgrade programme is expected to be completed in 2025.
Read moreTellurian downsizes Driftwood LNG export project (US) to cut costs
17 Aug 2020The US LNG developer Tellurian plans to downsize the first phase of its Driftwood LNG export project in Louisiana (United States) to reduce its costs by about 30% to approximately US$16.8bn. The first phase would include three liquefaction trains with a combined capacity of 16.6 Mt/year and the 4 bcf/d (41 bcm/year) Driftwood gas pipeline.
Read moreAES Gener plans to develop an 863 MW hybrid project in Chile
17 Aug 2020AES Gener has submitted an application to the Chilean Environmental Assessment System (SEA) to develop an 863 MW hybrid project in the Taltal district, in the Antofagasta region of Chile. The project would consist of a 350 MW wind park made up of 50 wind turbines rated 7 MW each, and a 513 MW solar PV park and two lithium-based battery energy storage systems. The company would invest US$750m in the Parque Terra Energia Renovable project, whose construction would start in 2022.
Read moreCompanies
SIGECO is seeking proposals for 1.3 GW of renewables capacity (US)
14 Aug 2020Southern Indiana Gas and Electric Company (SIGECO), an affiliate of the US power and natural gas utility CenterPoint Energy, has launched a request for proposals (RFP) targeting 700 to 1,000 MW of solar and solar + storage as well as 300 MW of wind resources. The Indiana-based company plans to retire 730 MW of coal-fired generation by 2024 and to largely fill its ongoing energy need with renewable capacity.
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