Botswana Approves Technical Stage of Tlou Power Project
Australia-listed Tlou Energy has received confirmation that the technical stage of its proposal for development of coal-bed methane (CBM) fuelled power plants in Botswana has been passed.
With this, the Botswana Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Board (PPADB) has now approved the request from Ministry of Mineral Resources, Green Technology and Energy Security (MMGE) to open the financial proposal in relation to the company's gas to power tender, Africa-focused Tlou said March 13. PPADB has approved the request of a rival proposal by Sekaname as well.
The two companies last year submitted the proposal for a 100 MW project. Tlou said its submitted proposals achieved a technical score of 89.8%, with Sekaname's at 86.4%, in the tender.
If the proposal and the initial project are successful, Tlou said it would look to expand further. “The company looks forward to a positive decision on its financial proposal [final stage of the proposal] in due course,” it said.
Tlou operates the Lesedi project in Botswana, consisting of four coal and CBM prospecting licences (PL) and a mining licence. The latter area is the focal point for operations and includes pilot wells where Tlou had been flaring gas before the start of the drilling programme.
Tlou also has the Mamba project, adjacent to Lesedi, which consists of five coal and CBM PLs, covering about 4,500 km2.