Power scare looms for SADC
2004-07-30 11:10
Windhoek - Chief executives of power utilities from 13 southern African nations on Thursday began a meeting in the Namibian capital Windhoek to discuss the burgeoning needs of the region where demand is set to outstrip supply.
The members of the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP), which regulates cross-border electricity transmission and trade, warned that the region faced serious power shortages if capacity was not increased.
The SAPP was set up in 1995 by the power utilities of 13-member Southern African Development Community (SADC) with the primary aim of providing cheap and reliable supplies.
"The total power demand in SADC countries has increased by 3% per year in the past ten years," Leake Hangala, managing director of the Namibia Power Corporation and the SAPP executive committee chairperson said.
"This special meeting will discuss and make recommendations on the way forward because power shortages will hinder progress and economic development and will scare away investors," Hangala said.
A report prepared for the meeting said total installed capacity in the region was 49 800 megawatts but warned that "by 2008 the SADC electricity demand will surpass the installed capacity leaving a shortage of supply".
It said the region's economic giant South Africa, which currently had an installed capacity of 41 300 megawatts and was currently exporting surplus power to neighbouring countries such as Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe, would not be able to do so in the future due to rising domestic demand.
On Friday, energy ministers from the SADC bloc, will meet to weigh the best options before the SAPP executive committee.