19 August 2008 - Eskom has issued a request for qualification, from local and international companies, for the development of a multi-site base load independent power producer (IPP) programme.

Eskom is seeking to secure up to 4 500MW from private producers and have put minimum plant development capacity at 200MW.

18 August 2008 - A request to the Ghanian Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) to encouraged the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) to install more meters into compound houses has been made by Ransford Tetteh, President of the Ghana Journalists Association.  

12 August 2008 - Eskom's foreign and local credit rating has been downgraded by Moody's to Baa2, making it more expensive to raise capital for the utilities capital expansion plan.

Eskom needs to raise US$20 billion of a required US$45.73 billion from borrowings and loans.  However, the downgrading by Moody's may be a setback for the utility.

12 August 2008 - South Africa’s National Energy Regulator (NERSA) has confirmed that no objections were lodged at the public hearings held with regard to Eskom‘s medium term power purchase programme (MTPPP).  Additionally, no objections were lodged with regards to the cogeneration regulatory guidelines, which were also discussed at the same meetings.

6 August 2008 -  Agreement has been reached to restructure the shareholding of Alstom South Africa. A consortium consisting of Actis, Old Mutual Private Equity, management and existing Black Empowerment shareholders will purchase the shares of the company. Actis will hold 35% of Alstom South Africa’s equity, together with Black Empowerment investors (28%)*, Old Mutual Private Equity (20%), and Alstom South Africa’s management (17%).

5 August 2008 - According the Tongaat Hulett CEO, Peter Staude, the firm could generate up to 266MW if it builds co-generation plants at four of its Southern African sugar mills.

Plans for all four projects are in pre-engineering or environmental impact assessment stages, although Tongaat Huletts has still not decided on the type of technology to be used (which will also affect its ultimate generation capacity).

5 August 2008 - Building on the Kandadji dam, a project that will boost power generation in landlocked Niger, has begun, after nearly 40 years of discussions and deliberations.

"No other development project will have sparked so much long term interest or such high expectations," said Prime Minister Seini Oumarou in a broadcast on state television.

4 August 2008 - South Africa’s regional electricity distributors (REDs) will not be ready before the 2009 national elections, minerals and energy spokesperson Bheki Khumalo admitted over the weekend.

Khumalo acknowledged that government "has missed the [legislative] cycle" to process a RED Establishment Bill, along with changes to the Constitution which would give central government the ability to remove the electricity distribution function from the 187 municipalities and transfer this function to the REDs.