Maravi

SADC ministers agree to ration electricity

SADC ministers agree to ration electricity
By Chibaula Silwamba
Sunday March 02, 2008 [03:00]

THE SADC council of ministers has approved rationing of power in the region in view of the current power supply deficit. Addressing journalists on Friday at the Intercontinental Hotel in Lusaka, Southern African Development Community (SADC) council of ministers chairperson Kabinga Pande said the council was concerned that, according to projections by the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP), power deficits would persist between 2008 and 2012.

“Council also approved the power conservation programme which entails the optimisation of energy as a matter of necessity, with measures of a 10 per cent reduction in consumption through ration, power-buy-back arrangements and penalties, based on experience from Brazil and California, which have already started paying dividends, where they have implemented,” said Pande at the end of a two-day meeting.

“Council was delighted to learn that Eskom of South Africa has committed itself to continue supplying power to other SADC member states, however with reduced commitments to the region by 10 per cent in line with its programme of reducing power to consumers in South Africa by the same margin.”

Pande, who is also Zambia’s foreign affairs minister, said the economic loss due to power blackouts in the region had not been compiled because the losses were different from each member country.

He said the total economic loss in the region would only be known when the task force on energy finish compiling the details on electricity problems.

“Council received the report of the energy ministers’ taskforce which highlighted short term measures to address the current power shortfalls in the region through short-term utility power projects such as the Hydro Cahora Bassa (HCB) commissioning an additional unit to supply 400 mega watts, 100 mega watts for Mozambique’s consumption and the balance of 300 mega watts availed to the region on a non-committal basis,” he said.

“Council was also appraised of the rehabilitation of existing generation units in Botswana, Democratic Republic of Congo, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe which will enable the provision of additional power amounting to 5,700 mega watts during 2008/09 financial year.”

Pande said the council also noted that an enabling environment was required to stimulate private sector participation and additional investment in the power sector that called for harmonised national electricity policy frameworks and accelerating sector reforms as well as implementing principles of cost reflective tariff structures.

Pande said the council had also approved the SADC budget for the financial year 2008/2009 amounting to US $49.9 million (about K 188 billion).

Labels: ENERGY, SADC, ZESCO

posted by MrK @ 8:52 AM