Daily Energy News

Companies

Citicore (The Philippines) targets a solar capacity of 1.5 GW by 2025

28 Aug 2020

Citicore Renewable Energy Corporation, a subsidiary of Philippine company Citicore Power, plans to reach a solar capacity of 1.5 GW by 2025. The company currently owns solar projects totalling 238 MW. In 2017, the Department of Energy (DoE) authorised Citicore Power to proceed with the pre-development stage of 5 proposed hydropower projects with a total power capacity of 2,300 MW in the Luzon island.

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NextEra Energy (US) shuts down the 615 MW Duane Arnold nuclear plant

28 Aug 2020

US electric utility NextEra Energy has decided to close the 615 MWe Duane Arnold nuclear power plant in Palo, Iowa (United States) after experiencing significant damage from a storm. The plant was due to be decommissioned in October 2020.

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Energy & Climate Markets

Indonesia plans to impose 40% biodiesel content rule from July 2021 onwards

28 Aug 2020

Indonesia intends to finish research into biodiesel fuels with a 40% bio-content (B40) by November 2020 and to implement the mandatory use of B40 in July 2021. The country originally planned to start road tests using biodiesel fuels with a 40% bio-content (B40) in March 2020 and to impose its use in January 2021, but that was delayed because of the coronavirus outbreak. With biodiesel development, Indonesia seeks to reduce its energy imports and promote new opportunities for its palm oil industry.

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Angola presents its hydrocarbon exploration strategy for 2020-2025

28 Aug 2020

The government of Angola has presented its Hydrocarbon Exploration Strategy for the period 2020-2025, which foresees the discovery of 40 to 57 Gbl of crude oil and 495 to 770 bcm of natural gas. To reach this objective, the country will allocated US$870m to the strategy with US$188m being set aside to acquire geological data. More than US$679m of the total will come from foreign investors. The country plans to evaluate 33 blocks in the Lower Congo, Kwanza and Benguela basins by 2023 and to allocate 45 blocks and interior basins by 2025.

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EDF will close its Hunterston B nuclear power plant (UK) by January 2022

28 Aug 2020

EDF has decided to start decommissioning its 960 MW Hunterston B nuclear power plant in Scotland (UK) by 7 January 2022 at the latest. This is subject to a further inspection in Spring 2021 and then regulatory approval for a final 6 months of operation. In the meantime, the UK Atomic Energy Authority has authorised EDF to restart one of the two units of the plant for a period of six months.

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Infrastructure & Investments

JSW Energy selects supplier for its 240 MW Kutehr hydro project (India)

28 Aug 2020

The Indian independent power producer JSW Energy (Kutehr), an affiliate of JSW Energy, has selected Andritz to supply equipment for the 240 MW Kutehr hydroelectric plant located on the River Ravi in the Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh state in India. The contract will include design, manufacturing, supply, transport, erection, testing and commissioning of three Francis turbine-generator units with a capacity of 80 MW each.

As of August 2020, hydro accounts for 13% of India’s total capacity, with 50 GW. More than 13 GW are under construction and 80 GW under development.

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The World Bank will finance two hydro projects totalling 254 MW (Pakistan)

28 Aug 2020

The World Bank has accepted to provide a US$450m financial assistance to Pakistan for initiating two hydropower projects in the Swat District of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province (northwest Pakistan). The financial package will fund the construction of the 88 MW Gabral Kalam hydro project and the 157 MW Madayan hydro project.

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The 857 MW Triton Knoll offshore wind project (UK) passes a new milestone

28 Aug 2020

RWE has completed the installation of foundations and exports cables at its 857 MW Triton Knoll offshore wind project, which is located over 32 km off the Lincolnshire coast (UK). The first power is expected in 2021, with a commercial operation date expected in early 2022. The project is jointly owned by RWE (59%, operator), J-Power (25%), and Kansai Electric Power (16%).

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Policy & Regulatory

Egypt plans to issue a licence for the Dabaa nuclear project in 2021

27 Aug 2020

The Nuclear Power Plants Authority (NPPA) of Egypt plans to issue a licence to build the first unit of El Dabaa nuclear power project. The project will be implemented by Russian nuclear company Rosatom in the second half of 2021. This permit will allow Rosatom to start preparation for concreting the foundations of installations. The first reactor is expected to be operational in 2026.

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Portugal awarded 670 MW of solar capacity in its latest auction

27 Aug 2020

The government of Portugal has published the result of its latest solar auction, which took place on 24 and 25 August 2020. Of the 700 MW available for auction, distributed over 12 lots, located in the Alentejo and the Algarve, 670 MW were awarded. The projects included 483 MW with an energy storage element built in, 177 MW under the country’s system compensation and 10 MW under contract for difference modality.

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