Washington, United States | AFP | Sub-Saharan Africa, where more than a half billion people live without electricity, trails the world in government policies that promote sustainable energy, according to a new World Bank report Wednesday. Much of the rest of the world, however, has made strides toward making energy …
Read More »Oil giant TOTAL’s annual net profits up 22% at $6.2 billion
Total confident despite volatile oil prices Paris, France | AFP | French oil major Total said Thursday it planned to increase its dividend to shareholders as it expressed confidence earnings could withstand the current volatility in oil prices. Total said in a statement that its headline net profit soared 22 …
Read More »China to build $1.5 billion power line across Pakistan
Islamabad, Pakistan | AFP | China’s State Grid Corporation is set to build a $1.5-billion power line across Pakistan to enable the transmission of 4,000 megawatts of electricity from the country’s north to south, the government said Friday. Pakistani and Chinese officials signed an investment agreement in Beijing on Thursday …
Read More »East Africa’s biggest solar plant beams hope to rural Uganda
Soroti, Uganda | AFP | When power goes out in the rural town of Soroti in eastern Uganda, store manager Hussein Samsudin can only hope it won’t go on so long it spoils his fresh goods. Another shop owner, Richard Otekat, 37, has to pay a neighbour hourly to use …
Read More »Workers dying at Chinese sites rise
These Chinese contractors don’t care at all, says Labour minister vow to whip them into line The human cost of accidents, poor health and safety conditions under Chinese contractors in Uganda has come under scrutiny and what is emerging is raising serious concerns. At the heart of the latest concerns …
Read More »Non-OPEC oil states agree to cuts in ‘historic’ deal
Vienna, Austria | AFP | Eleven countries agreed on Saturday to cut their oil output, teaming up with the OPEC cartel in an exceptional bid to end the world’s glut of crude and reverse a dramatic fall in income. Russia and 10 other non-OPEC states will reduce their production by …
Read More »Why Kasaija, Anite differ on UEGCL top job?
Matia Kasaija, the minister for Finance and Evelyn Anite, the minister of State for Privatisation and Investment are locked in disagreement over the appointment of the Chairperson of Uganda Electricity Generation Board (UEGCL). Kasaija appointed Frank Katusiime to the post on Nov 9 but Anite preferred Eng. Proscovia Njuki and …
Read More »Nigeria, Morocco mull gas pipeline mega-project
Lagos, Nigeria | AFP | Nigeria and Morocco are in talks over a huge project to extend a West African gas pipeline to stretch up towards Europe, officials say. Nigerian Foreign Minister Geoffrey Onyeama said in a government video posted on Twitter on Friday that the pipeline would “go along …
Read More »Oil resumes price rise after OPEC cut
Singapore, Singapore | AFP | Oil prices resumed their rise Thursday and held above the $50 barrier following OPEC’s decision to carry out its first output cut in eight years. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries at a meeting in Vienna on Wednesday agreed on specific targets to enact …
Read More »UEGCL and UETCL take charge of Karuma, Isimba
Uganda’s generation and transmission firms UEGCL and UETCL have taken over administration of mega power projects Karuma and Isimba. “Glad to inform that this morning I received, on behalf of @UegclP , the Deeds of assignment for Karuma and Isimba,” tweeted Harrison Mutikanga, Uganda Electricity Generation Co.Ltd (UEGCL) CEO. The …
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