Maravi

Sadc power shortfall hits 1 000Mw mark (THE HERALD)

Sadc power shortfall hits 1 000Mw mark
By Fortious Nhambura

SOUTHERN African Development Community power shortfall has hit the 1 000-megawatt mark with most countries in the region struggling to gene- rate adequate power for both domestic use and exports but the deficit is likely to be overcame if by 2010. Experts advice on the region power pool, Southern African Power Pool, indicate that although the region will have no surplus capacity by year-end, planned projects on the region were likely to overcome the deficit by 2010.

There are fears that shortages of power could likely affect production and manufacturing in the region. The southern African regional meeting, however, undertook to accelerate efforts to finalise ongoing rehabilitation and investments projects.

SAPP members have commissioned rehabilitation projects, which, among them, has contributed 1140 Mw to the SAPP grid network. Members are also expected to undertake short-term generation projects that shall add 6 700Mw to the network at a cost of US$7,88 billion.

In a communiqué issued at end of the three-day regional energy workshop, Sadc acting chief director of secretariat Mr Remmy Makumbe said the regional generation surplus is expected to increase by 5 000 from generation projects in 2010.

"The regional energy shortfall is currently 1 000Mw, without a reserve margin of 4 000Mw and the shortfall is expected to be reduced to zero through the implementation of the above mentioned projects by 2010 or 2011 if all inter-connector projects are completed.

"Regional generation surplus is expected to increase by 5 000Mw from generation projects by 2010," he said.

SAPP members are also expected to undertake long-term generation projects which shall add 32 000 Mw to the Pool at a cost of US$32 billion.

Mr Makumbe called on the relevant authorities in member states to work together towards attracting investment in the energy sector to ensure the development of a robust regional energy sector capable of supporting and sustaining regional economic growth and development.

He said regional governments needed to expedite the implementation of the Western Corridor project aimed at interconnecting Angola with the Southern African Power Pool.

Labels: ENERGY, SADC

posted by MrK @ 1:09 AM