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and 1,440MW, respectively. percent, will be available to the regional grid
Angola contributed 394MW additional since Sadc is not yet fully integrated in terms
generation capacity following the of energy trading.
POLICY commissioning of the Lauca, Saurimo, Bie and All mainland SADC member states,
Luena power plants. with the exception of Angola, Malawi and
SADC members commission additional generation projects were the Tanzania, are interconnected through SAPP
Other countries that commissioned
regional grid, allowing them to share surplus
3,595MW in 2019 Democratic Republic of Congo (153MW), energy.
Malawi (44MW), Mozambique (40MW) and
New generation capacity installed in any
Regional cooperation in the Southern African Zimbabwe (4MW). of the three non-participating countries is
energy sector is paying off amid revelations An interesting feature of the new not accessible to the nine other members of
that the region is making progress in generation capacity commissioned during the SAPP — Botswana, the Democratic Republic
narrowing its power generation deficit. past year was the increased participation of of Congo, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia,
Power utilities in the Southern African Independent Power Producers (IPPs). Swaziland, South Africa, Zambia and
Development Community (SADC) IPPs contributed most of the new capacity Zimbabwe.
commissioned a total of 3,595MW of in Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe,
electricity in 2019, a development that according to SAPP.
has ensured stability in the availability of Thermal power projects continued to
electricity throughout the region. dominate the generation mix for new capacity LOANS
Sadc Executive Secretary Dr Stergomena that was commissioned in 2019, accounting
Lawrence Tax said the commissioned for 83 percent of additional electricity Nigeria’s $1.5bn World Bank
electricity is approximately 90 percent of the generated during the year.
targeted capacity of 4,000MW during 2019. This is mainly because the bulk of the new loan delayed over reforms
“This is commendable, considering capacity came from South Africa’s Kusile and
that electricity is one of the key drivers for Medupi thermal power plants. The World Bank is unlikely to approve a
industrialisation, productivity growth and SADC is targeting to commission 16 much-needed $1.5 bn for Nigeria in August as
economic development,” Dr Tax said during 515 megawatts of new electricity generation planned due to concerns over desired reforms,
a virtual Sadc Council of Ministers meeting capacity over the next three years as the region Reuters reported.
held on August 13. moves to strengthen its energy infrastructure A delay in financing from multilateral
According to the Southern African as an enabler for its industrialisation agenda. lenders could leave Africa’s biggest economy
Power Pool (SAPP), which is responsible Of that amount, nearly 5 900MW is and top oil producer, battered by low crude
for coordinating the planning, generation, expected to come from South Africa, while prices, unable to fully finance a record 10.8
transmission and marketing of electricity on the United Republic of Tanzania plans trillion naira ($28.35 bn) budget. The central
behalf of member state utilities in SADC, to commission about 4,900MW. Other bank has said Nigeria’s balance of payments
South Africa accounted for more than 82 significant contributions to the regional power gap this year will be $14 bn.
percent of the electricity generated during the pool are expected from Angola (2,499MW) The World Bank, which has said Nigeria
past year. and Zambia (1,186MW). could be heading toward its greatest fiscal
Most of the new South African generation However, of the 16 515MW additional crisis in 40 years, had aimed to bring the loan
capacity came from the Medupi and Kusile generation capacity planned for to its board for approval this month, but the
thermal power stations that added 1,480MW commissioning, only 9,731MW, or about 59 sources said negotiations over what Nigeria

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