Page 12 - AfrElec Week 22 2021

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Africa Single Electricity Market launched

in bid to provide universal access

AFRICA THE African Union has launched the Africa Sin- problems. Neighbouring states have few oppor-
gle Electricity Market (AfSEM) in a bid to cre- tunities to provide alternative sources of power
ate an integrated power market and to improve when supply fails.
cross-border links across the continent. The journey to create AfSEM at the continen-
The AfSEM aims to facilitate sustainable tal level started in 2015 in co-operation with the
development of the African electricity sector EU through the AU programme on Harmonisa-
through the integrated continental electricity tion of Regulatory Frameworks for the Electric-
market based on the 2019 AfCFTA Agreement. ity Market in Africa.
The goal is to give African households, busi- In addition to a series of products over the
nesses and industries more secure, sustainable, five year-period, the AfSEM Policy Paper, the
reliable, competitive and affordable energy. Roadmap, and the governance structure were
In December 2020, the AU said that it prepared by a team of EU-TAF Experts co-ordi-
had aimed to launch the AfSEM in February, nated by the Department of Infrastructure and
although the date was put back because of the Energy.
coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The plans were also validated by RECs, power
AfSEM’s first phase is projected to be achieved pools and other pan-African energy institutions
as early as 2023 and full operation is anticipated and adopted by the AU head of states at the 34th
to be reached by 2040. AU Summit in February 2021.
Improving the transmission grids both The AU said that the AfSEM was designed
domestically and internationally is a key com- to bring greater energy security, sustainability
ponent of providing universal access to power and competitiveness to the AU member states.
across Africa. It will be the largest single electricity market in
At present, there are a number of regional the world covering 55 member states serving a
power pools, for example in Southern African population of over 1.3bn.
and West Africa, but there are too few cross-bor- AfSEM aims will be the most cost-efficient
der links to create integrated links between response to strong growth of electricity demand
neighbouring countries. in Africa, the most essential tool to use the full
This means that trading is often limited, and potential of the continent’s renewable sources,
individual countries or regions are vulnerable and an effective accelerator to 100% access of
to power cuts if local hydro or gas stations are electricity across the continent.™
underused because of drought or gas supply

P12 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 22 03•June•2021