ESB wins power plant contract in Namibia

THE international arm of the ESB has won a contract to manage and oversee the construction of a power plant in Namibia.

ESBI will provide engineering services and supervise the building of the 800 megawatt power station in the African country. The station will be gas-fired from an offshore field and will be the first combined-cycle power station in southern Africa. It is due to come on stream in 2009.

The ESB did not disclose the value of the deal on the grounds of commercial sensitivity, but it is believed to be of similar size to a contract recently won in Norway from Statoil, which was valued at €6 million.

ESBI has had a busy year. Earlier this month it sold a 50% stake in the €500m Amorebieta power plant in the Basque region of Northern Spain. The sale of the stake to a Japanese company netted the company nearly €75m.

Next year another flagship project, the 400 Megawatt station at Coolkeeragh, Co Derry, will become fully operational.

Meanwhile, the Minister for Communication, Marine and Natural Resources Noel Dempsey has appointed Tom Reeves as chair of the Commission for Energy Regulation. Mr Reeves’ term at the CER has been extended to 2009.