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Namibia’s hydro output falls as drought hits
NAMIBIA
GENERATING output in Namibia has fallen to 40% below normal levels after a catastrophic drought hit output at the country’s Ruacana hydropower plant (HPP) and lower water flows at dams and rivers.
State-owned NamPower said on December 18 that that hydro output has dipped to 90-160 MW, compared with an installed capacity of 374 MW, Reuters reported.
The drought comes as power cuts in South Africa, from where Namibia imports 70% of its electricity, also threaten the security of the coun- try’s grid.
NamPower managing director Simson Hau- lofu said the company had reduced generation at the Ruacana plant during peak hours to save water.
Although Namibia can also boast small renewable independent power producers (IPPs), as well as one coal-fired power plant and one emergency diesel plant, the HPP provides the bulk of supply
Across the wider Southern Africa region, the Kariba HPP, which sites on the Zambesi River and supplies both Zimbabwe and Zambia, has
also been hit by lower water levels and declining power output.
Zambezi River Authority chief executive Munyaradzi Munadawafa said last week the Kar- iba might have to reduce generation drastically, perhaps even to the point where the plant shuts down. This would endanger Zimbabwean utility ZESA’s 80 MW of exports to Namibia.
In 2015, ZESA and NamPower signed a 15-year agreement for Zimbabwe to supply elec- tricity to Namibia following the end of an initial agreement signed in 2006.
The initial agreement between ZESA and NamPower saw the Namibian power utility reha- bilitating the Hwange Power Station in Zimba- bwe at a cost of $40mn.
NamPower is currently importing 12% of its electricity from ZESA and another 48% from Eskom in South Africa.
Namibian dams were last week at 19.3% of capacity compared with 35.6% last year, water utility Namwater said.
Officials blame the drop in water levels on cli- mate change and a five-year drought in southern Africa.™
POLICY
AfDB, AU to roll out electricity master plan
The African Development Bank and the African Union Development Agency have agreed to jointly develop a blueprint for a pan- continental electricity network and market.
The agreement to set up a continental power system master plan between the
bank and the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) was unveiled last month during a three-day workshop on the sidelines of the programme for infrastructure development (Pida) week held in Cairo.
“The continental power system
master plan will ensure that competitive electricity markets are developed at regional and continental levels, creating unique opportunities to optimally utilise Africa’s vast energy resources for the benefit of Africa,” said Mosad Elmissiry, a senior energy adviser to AUDA-NEPAD’s CEO.
The master plan will also inform the energy component of a Pida action plan,
NEWS IN BRIEF
which focuses on key regional integration projects. The development of unified electricity transmission networks and markets for electricity trading are viewed as critical priorities to improve the lives of people across the continent.
“Most state-owned electricity utilities in Africa today are unable to secure the financial resources needed to implement required segments of regional inter-connectors and associated national feeder lines,” said Angela Nalikka, the bank’s manager for national and regional power systems.
SA to keep with coal
South Africa Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe said SA was to keep burning coal to generate electricity, even as the continent’s biggest greenhouse gas emitter adopts
more renewable energy sources to meet its commitments on tackling climate change.
Africa’s most industrialised economy is also grappling with a power crisis that has hurt growth, temporarily shut down mining operations and threatened its remaining
investment grade rating.
“As much as we intend to utilise the sun
and wind resources we have, we intend to continue to use our fossil fuel resources,
and to increase investment in ... clean coal technologies,” Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, Gwede Mantashe told delegates at a local launch of the IEA Coal 2019 report.
The government had already shrunk its dependence on coal for power generation to 75%, from 90% a few years ago, he said, adding that the government had “given renewables the biggest growth allocation”, in future projects.
“South Africa is a major producer of coal,” Mantashe added. “Entire towns and settlements exist around coal mining areas, and as such, our focus must be on how to mitigate the impact of coal sector downscaling.”
The government’s long term power plan, released in October, provides for 1,500MW of new coal power, 2,500MW of hydropower, 6,000MW from photovoltaic, 14,400MW from wind and 3,000MW from natural gas.
Week 50 19•December•2019
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