NGSL Signs Pact With African Bloc For RE Development In Africa

NTPC GE Power Services Limited (NGSL) has inked a tripartite Memorandum of Engagement (MoE) with The Lake Region Economic Bloc (LREB), Kenya and Procorp Enertech Private Limited (PEPL) where the three entities will cooperate for the development of solar power projects in Africa.

The official statement says that the MoE specifically envisages installations of ground mounted and floating solar photovoltaic projects in ‘The Lake’ region of Kenya, in West Africa.

NTPC GE Power Services Limited is a joint venture between state owned Indian power company National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) and GE Power India Limited with equal participation.

Under the memorandum, support will be provided for adoption of affordable housing, efficient lighting and the development of mini-grid solutions in The Lake Region. The partners will also build the capacity of professionals engaged in the power sector of Kenya.

A 20-member high level delegation from The Lake Region Economic Bloc (LREB), Kenya was on a visit to India. The LREB had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with NGSL and PEPL previously also. This was meant to explore business opportunities in Kenya and other African countries.

As per the official statement, the MoE was signed by Sanjeev Duggal, MD, NGSL, Victor Joash Oginga Nyagaya, CEO, LREB, and Dr. Raju S Gannavarapu of PEPL in the presence of Governors and other senior delegates from The LREB, Kenya.

Also present during the MoE signing at the ceremony were Ujjwal Kanti Bhattacharya, Chairman, NGSL, Prashant Jain, Managing Director, GE Power India Limited and NM Gupta, Head (International Business), NTPC.

It was informed that the LERB delegation had also visited the 100 MW floating solar plant of NTPC at Ramagundam and the 250 MW NTPC Ananthapuram ground-mounted solar power plant in Andhra Pradesh. The Ramagundam is India’s largest floating solar plant built by NTPC.

In August, 2021, NTPC was awarded solar projects in Niger and Malawi. NTPC wants similar kinds of projects in other International Solar Alliance member countries in Africa. The company wants to set up 10GW of renewable energy capacity in all ISA countries and Africa is land of immense solar irradiance. In March, the NTPC extended help to 9 ISA countries that include many African countries to support the expansion of the renewable energy sector worth $3-4 billion.