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dam-l Regional power line links SA, Namibia/LS
>From Business Day. One hopes this line will not be used to advance the
Epupa dam.
26 August 1999
First phase of SA-Namibia
power line starts
Inauguration boosts hopes for the creation of a southern
African pool through which countries will be able to trade
electricity
Robyn Chalmers
THE inauguration of the first phase of a 400MW power line
linking SA
and Namibia yesterday should boost the creation of a
regional pool
through which states can trade electricity.
The multimillion-rand power line, aimed at alleviating
Namibia's
electricity shortfall, was opened by President Thabo Mbeki and
Namibian President Sam Nujoma.
Initiated by Eskom and Namibia's Nampower, the line runs
from the
SA-Namibia border via the Kokerboom substation near
Keetmanshoop
to Auas substation near Windhoek.
The line will supply power to Namibia's southern region.
Public Enterprises Minister Jeff Radebe said the creation
of an electricity
supply industry in southern Africa would help to overcome
the region's
crippling shortage of electric power.
"The realisation of this vision will add tremendous value to
strengthening the relations between countries in southern
Africa and will
be a welcome impetus to economic and social development,"
Radebe
said.
The creation of a regional supply pool was kickstarted in
1995 when 12
members of the Southern African Development Community
signed an
agreement on the formation of the Southern African Power Pool.
The organisation aims to create a mechanism by which
members can
trade power, buying from suppliers with the best terms
and selling to
those offering the best prices.
However, high-capacity electrical transmission lines are
needed to
connect the various national networks.
Analysts have said that the power pool might lead to
reduced generation
costs and the creation of a regional grid.
Eskom said the SA-Namibian line was the second power line
to be built
as part of the power pool vision, the first being the
Matimba-Insukamini
line between SA and Zimbabwe.
At 450km, the SA-Namibian power supply line is one of the
longest
transmission lines in Africa, says Eskom.
NamPower MD Leake Hangala said earlier that the power line,
Namibia's largest public works project, was intended to
establish a
secure supply for the whole country.
At the moment only part of Namibia's electricity needs
are met by its
own sources. The rest is bought from Eskom.
The power line was constructed by ABB Powertech-Cegelec
Consortium, which was granted a N$366m contract, although
a host of
smaller contractors were also used. The second phase of
the line will be
commissioned by May next year.
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Lori Pottinger, Director, Southern Africa Program,
and Editor, World Rivers Review
International Rivers Network
1847 Berkeley Way, Berkeley, California 94703, USA
Tel. (510) 848 1155 Fax (510) 848 1008
http://www.irn.org
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