Windhoek — NamPower, the local power utility, says it might have to procure diesel generators to complement electricity generation and supply to mitigate worsening power shortages that threaten to plunge Namibia and other SADC countries into darkness.

The growing demand for electricity has compounded matters and appears to have caught energy planners napping, causing an unprecedented crisis.

NamPower Managing Director, Paulinus Shilamba, yesterday said the power utility might have to procure generators that are capable of generating 50 megawatts and 150 megawatts as an interim and a short-term solution to the far-reaching power crisis.

Namibia at least needs an additional 200 megawatts in order to wean itself from imports from South Africa, Zimbabwe and Zambia and become energy sufficient. Shilamba disclosed that NamPower is in consultation with the Government for a possibility to procure and install additional generators at NamPower's generation sites. The exercise would cost millions of dollars, as the utility will have to import generators. A 50-megawatt generator costs approximately N$350 million while a 150-megawatt generator could cost almost N$1 billion.

"We expect the Government to take a position on this matter in due course," said Shilamba who further described the power situation at the moment as critical. The power shortages in the SADC region have brought about panic in all spheres. At business level, in South Africa billions of dollars have been lost in the past few weeks alone as load-shedding continues. Some mines have ceased operating.

At a business meeting yesterday morning hosted by the Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NCCI) and NamPower, Shilamba could not ascertain whether Namibian businesses could also find themselves in the dilemma that has cost South Africa dearly.

"I cannot tell you if what is happening in South Africa could also take place here. We are lucky in Namibia that this (temporary closure of mines) has not happened yet," he added.

Stopping planned mining projects would not be in the best interest of Namibia. NamPower and the mining institutions are in constant consultation on power supply options, the MD said.

"NamPower's key objective is to ensure that Namibia retains its current rate of economic growth, hence NamPower will continue to supply electricity to the mining institutions," Shilamba assured.

He, however, added that mines are likely to be affected the most because of the huge load requirements.

Existing mine load for Rössing Uranium, Langer Heinrich, Trekkopje and Desal, Ida Dome, Valencia and Goanikontes mines stands at 115 Mega Volt Amperes (MVA) and it is anticipated that the demand will rise to 358 MVA by 2010.

To minimise load-shedding, NamPower last week proposed short-term solutions to business and industry leaders. They include reducing demand for power by 20 percent through the application of demand side management.

Shilamba said the South African power utility, Eskom, can no longer supply Namibia with about 60 percent of the country's power imports and load-shedding could not be avoided.

Load-shedding would only be resorted to if demand side management options are exhausted. These include load shifting, ripple control and time of use tariffs.

NamPower says all its customers will be informed in advance when load-shedding is imminent.

Major Challenge on Current Generation

Amid power generation handicaps, Ruacana, one of the main power generation sources with 240 megawatts output, can no longer run to full capacity as water levels go down in the Kunene River. And this has led to the Ruacana Power Station to run only during peak hours for limited hours.

By yesterday, NamPower could only generate electricity from one generator that produces 80 megawatts.

"There are reports that it is raining in Angola and we hope that in the next two weeks the water levels will rise. The situation is tight but we are managing," said NamPower spokesperson, John Kaimu.

Meanwhile, NamPower is considering installing a fourth unit at Ruacana. This will bring the generation output to 320 megawatts.

A Norwegian company NORPLAN was appointed as owner's engineer to assist NamPower with the tender documents.

A contractor will be appointed by August and the commissioning date of this project is June 2010, Shilamba said.

Other power sources in the country are Van Eck with a capacity of 120 megawatts and Paratus, which generates 24 megawatts.

Namibia produces 384 megawatts of power from local plants, but has a daily maximum requirement of 450 megawatts, with the extra load imported from South Africa, Zimbabwe and Zambia.

Measures in the Interim

NamPower says that most of its projects will only be commissioned after two years.

Because of that and the power situation at hand, NamPower urged its customers to reduce its power consumption through Demand Side Management initiatives.

In the medium and long-term initiatives, the power utility has through its Hwange power investment secured 40 megawatts after the rehabilitation of one unit at the power station. Two weeks ago, Shilamba was in Zimbabwe to further discuss how four power utilities from Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe can work together in the construction of a 970 kilometres power line from Hwange to Gerus in Namibia.

The line will be used by Namibia to bring in electricity from especially Zimbabwe where 150 megawatts are expected by September following the multi-million dollar deal between the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (Zesa) and NamPower.

Other projects include the Caprivi Link Interconnector to be commissioned next year, a 400 megawatts Base Load Power station at Walvis Bay and the Orange River mini-hydro power plant.

These projects are key to the utility in expanding its generation capacity.

Reactions

Business tycoon and former NamPower Chairman of the Board, Harold Pupkewitz, says Namibia has been over-dependent on South Africa for its electricity needs.

The ongoing power crisis should be a wake-up call to the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP) in taking the US$5 billion Inga Project seriously. The Inga Project is a multi-billion-dollar Western Corridor Project, commonly known as the "Congo Project" envisioned to satiate Africa's power deficit should it be realised. Experts say the planned project has so much potential it could meet much of Africa's power needs and even generate a surplus that could be exported to Europe.

"The lesson is, time has come for Namibia to be self- reliant. It is important to invest in power generation," commented NCCI president, Inge Zaamwani-Kamwi.