21, August 2022
The Holy Father Pope Francis ‘concerned’ after Nicaraguan bishop detained 0
Pope Francis said Sunday he was “concerned” by rising tensions between the state and the Catholic Church in Nicaragua, two days after bishop and regime critic Rolando Alvarez was detained.
Francis said he was following “closely with concern and sorrow” the situation in Nicaragua, amid a worsening standoff between the Church and a government accused of increasing authoritarianism.
“I would like to express my conviction and hope that through open and sincere dialogue, the basis for respectful and peaceful coexistence can still be found,” the head of the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics said after the Angelus prayer.
A spokeswoman for the European Union’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the EU was “following closely the situation with concern”.
She repeated Brussel’s position that “Nicaraguans have to find a peaceful and democratic solution to their political crisis through dialogue”.
The Catholic Church in Nicaragua has been under increasing government pressure since opposition protests in 2018 were met with a crackdown that left hundreds dead.
President Daniel Ortega maintains the protests were part of a Washington-backed opposition plot to unseat him, and accuses bishops of complicity.
The Vatican has said Nicaragua expelled its ambassador to the country in March.
Taken ‘with violence’
Alvarez was detained Friday for “destabilizing and provocative” activities aimed at destabilizing the Central American country.
His detention followed two weeks under police siege at his official residence in Matagalpa, central Nicaragua, after he criticized the closure of Church radio stations and news channels.
Supporters said Alvarez was taken “with violence” to an unknown location, prompting the United Nations and Organization of American States (OAS) to express concern.
Eight others, including five priests, who had been holed up with Alvarez were taken to Managua with him, according to the Latin American Bishops Conference (CELAM), and were all under investigation.
Later, the church said Alvarez was being held at his “family home” where Cardinal Lepoldo Brenes was allowed to visit him.
Brenes reported the bishop’s “physical condition has deteriorated” but his “spirit is strong”, the archdiocese of Managua said in a statement.
The other eight were being held at El Chipote prison, according to the Nicaraguan Center for Human Rights (Cenidh). El Chipote is a notorious lockup for government critics.
According to the European Union, Nicaragua has more than 180 “political prisoners”.
In the first half of 2022, the bloc says, Nicaraguan authorities closed down over 1,200 civil society organizations.
Earlier this month, Borrell’s office called for the liberation of Nicaragua’s political prisoners, denouncing the government crackdown on opposition activists.
Source: AFP



















22, August 2022
Wärtsilä to provide automation upgrade for an iconic power plant in Kribi 0
The technology group Wärtsilä will carry out an upgrading project of the electrical and automation systems to ensure optimal reliability of the Kribi power plant in the Republic of Cameroon. The 216 MW plant has been in operation for nearly ten years, operating with 13 Wärtsilä 50DF dual-fuel engines running primarily on natural gas. At the time of commissioning, it was the largest gas engine power plant in Sub-Saharan Africa. Wärtsilä will also support the customer’s operational and maintenance performance with a 10-year long-term service agreement.
The order with Wärtsilä was placed by Kribi power development company (KPDC), a subsidiary of Globeleq, an independent power producer (IPP) and the owner and operator of power generating facilities across Africa. The order will be booked in Wärtsilä’s order intake in Q3/2022.
“The Kribi power plant has a vital role within the African energy sector. It is still today supplying two-thirds of the thermal energy in Cameroon. Cameroon’s energy system relies heavily on hydropower, but has uncertain resources of water. The Kribi plant, therefore, plays a key role in ensuring a supply of safe, cheap, and reliable energy. For this reason we are keen to upgrade the power plant’s automation systems to the latest design to ensure optimal reliability, and to strengthen our cooperation with Wärtsilä, leveraging their competences on a continuous basis within the framework of the long-term service agreement,” commented Gionata Visconti, Chief Operating Officer, Globeleq.
Wärtsilä has a strong regional presence, which enables us to provide valuable technical support that optimises engine performance and maximises the production capabilities of this power plant which has such a significant role in Cameroon’s power supply. We are also in a position to ensure the availability of critical spare parts, and this is an essential element within the long-term service agreement between our companies. All in all, this is a very important project, both for the customer and for Wärtsilä,” said Markus Ljungkvist, Vice President, Services, Wärtsilä Energy.
The project is scheduled to commence in 2023. To ensure the continuity of the plant’s output, the work will be carried out on one engine at a time. The long-term service agreement includes remote operational support, maintenance planning, technical advisory and remote troubleshooting services, as well as spare parts.
Long-term service agreements are an integral part of Wärtsilä’s lifecycle services offering. They are based on utilisation of the latest digital technologies, and supported by the company’s extensive know-how and understanding of power generation installations.
Wärtsilä has altogether supplied 550 MW of generating capacity to the Republic of Cameroon, and 7.5 GW to the whole of Africa, of which more than 25 per cent are covered by Wärtsilä service agreements.