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The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) threatens to suspend licences of eight regional distribution companies over eleventh, giving them 60 days to provide explanations. They failed to pay for electricity they bought from the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading (NBET), the Nigerian bulk trader. Indeed, the eight companies acquired for NGN36.1bn (US$100m) of energy from NBET in July 2019, but payback to the public entity only NGN5.9bn (US$16m).

Due to the liquidity crisis distribution companies are experiencing, the regulator has determined a minimum threshold they have to pay back to the bulk trader for the electricity they obtain. The eight companies exposed to potential sanctions have transferred to the NBET an amount inferior to the expected minimum remittance, which range from 13% to 49% of their purchases.

If the NERC ends up sanctioning the distribution companies, it would the first time it applies a regulation instructing them to pay 100% of the electricity they bought, as the regulator considers it endangers the whole electricity value chain.

The eight distribution companies which could have their licences revoked include Ikeja Electric (supplying a part of Lagos State), Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (in charge of the capital city), as well as Kano Electricity Distribution Company and Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company, providing power to two of the most populated regional cities.

Ahead of Poland’s general elections and under a rising pressure to cut CO2 emissions and improve air quality, the Polish Prime Minister has pledged to invest more in renewable energies (mainly solar PV and offshore wind) and nuclear energies, though maintaining its support for coal. The government plans to triple the installed solar PV capacity, from 468 MW in 2018 to 1.5 GW. …

According to the Ministry of Resources and Petroleum of Angola, the country will seek to make a better use of flared gas volumes in a bid to raise more revenue as it is experiencing a decline in crude oil production (from 89.5 Mt in 2015 to 74 Mt in 2018).

The National Agency of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels (ANP) of Brazil has awarded oil blocks in the maritime sedimentary basins of Campos and Santos during the 16th Bidding Round. The auction will result in cumulative signing bonus payments of BRL 8.9bn (US$2.16bn). …

In order to boost the transmission of renewable electricity, the Dutch transmission system operator TenneT has set aside €215m to invest in power transmission capacity in the northern Netherlands, on top of the €1bn already invested in this region. Planned investment would allow to add 2 GW of solar and wind capacity to the Dutch grid. …

The European Investment Bank (EIB) will lend €110m to ICGB AD (Inter Connector Greece Bulgaria) for the construction of the Interconnector Greece-Bulgaria (ICGB), a 182 km-long gas pipeline project between Komotini in Greece and Stara Zagora in Bulgaria.

A consortium of China Energy Engineering Corp (CEEC) and its subsidiary China Energy Engineering International has signed a contract with the Mozambique state-owned power utility Electricidade de Moçambique (EDM). The Chinese consortium will design and build two new 400 kV power transmission lines and will build or expand five power substations in the Chibata and Dondo regions.

The Brazilian national development bank BNDES has approved a BRL 1.76bn (US$428m) financing for Chimarrão Transmissora de Energia, a special purpose company set up by Cymi Construções e Participacões (ACS group) and the Brasil Energia equity fund (Brookfield) for the development of power transmission lines worth BRL 2.24bn (US$545m) in the state of Rio Grande do Sul (Brazil).