09 Aug 2017

Minister of Mineral Resources, Green Technology and Energy Security, Advocate Sadique Kebonang has told Parliament that invitation to tender for Morupule B Power Station has been issued to the contract with closing date of September 19 this year.

He said as required under the PPADB rules to divest of the government’s and Botswana Power Corporation (BPC)’s financial interests in Morupule B Power Station to the plant’s Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contractor on a direct appointment basis.

Minister Kebonang said since then, the project team has been engaged in the drafting of the ten regulatory and commercial agreements required for the divestment and the related process of procuring the same company as an independent power producer (IPP).

Regarding the BCL Limited and two subsidiaries, BCL Investments and Tati Nickel Mining Company, ( the BCL Group), Advocate Kebonang said they were placed under provisional liquidation who was appointed and placed the mines under care and maintenance.

He said by June 15, 2017 no firm offer had been made and BCL Limited was eventually placed under final liquidation on June 15, while Tati Nickel Mining Company and BCL investments continue to be under provisional liquidation, with the return date extended to December 14 this year.

Minister Kebonang said the provisional liquidator has undertaken efforts to identify potential interested parties, a number of which have expressed interest primarily in Tati Nickel Mining Company and said the provisional liquidator is pursuing these expressions of interest.

He said currently, there was an advert in local and regional media as well as Global Network of KPMG for the disposal of the BCL Group and the disposal of the BCL Group would be through a structured competitive tender process and all parties that have interest in acquiring the BCL Group in its entirety or Tati and/or individual assets of BCL will registered their interest with the Provisional Liquidator.

Advocate Kebonang said Provision of Limited Information Memorandum, together with access to Virtual Data Rooms for BCL and Tati to interested parties who have signed Non-Disclosure Agreement was effected on August 7 and  the deadline for submission of Indicative Offers from interested parties is September 1, 2017. ENDS