Indians still eager to secure Mmamabula

CIC Energy, the Canadian firm that since 2006 has been pushing MEC, is on the verge of being taken over by JSW Energy, giving the Indians control over 1.9 billion tonnes of coal available for extraction.

However, the takeover was put in doubt a fortnight ago when a Chinese energy firm driving a component of MEC filed for arbitration, arguing its interests would be violated. The Chinese firm, GCL Botswana, is the majority shareholder in Mookane Domestic Power Project (MDPP), an integrated 1.3 million tonne per annum coalmine firing a 300MW power station.