February 06, 2006, 16:45
Several countries in the Southern African region, have jointly initiated a massive hydropower plant that will have the capacity and potential to generate power for the entire African continent, with the possible exportation of the surplus to Europe.
The Inga project, estimated to cost $7bn, is aimed at addressing the looming energy shortages in the region, but it will also bring huge socio-economic benefits to the five countries involved.
One of the partners in the project is Botswana: with a limited industrial infrastructure, it is reliant on imports for most of its goods and services, including electricity. Currently Botswana generates about 30% of its own electricity and about 70% is imported from South Africa. As a shareholder in the project, Botswana stands to benefit economically, as well as to have access to cheaper and reliable energy source.
John Kaluza from the Botswana Power Corporation says: “There will be generation of employment because the project headquarters will be here. Two, naturally we hope to have a more reliable and secure supply, because currently we are tied in to South Africa and their own resources." Inter-governmental and power utility memoranda have already been concluded amongst the signatories to the Inga project, including Angola, Botswana, the DRC, Namibia and South Africa.
Eskom to gain from hydropower plant
The Inga project is vital to Eskom, which is looking for alternative energy sources, to address the country's growing demands for electricity. Fani Zulu, the Eskom spokesperson, says: "The objective here is to build a power station that would generate some 3 500 megawatts, along with a transmission network that will allow the high voltage transportation of electricity from Inga down to Angola to Botswana, to Namibia and into South Africa.
"The second phase of this project is to build a plant with a potential to generate some 35 000 to 40 000 megawatts. Just by comparison, that is equivalent to our current generation capacity in South Africa. That would be massive."
Although the five countries have each contributed $100 000 towards the project, the bulk of the $7bn required to finance the first phase of the project, will be sourced from potential investors.
Freddy Motlhatlhedi from the SADC energy programmes says: "The initial studies would actually be financed by the five utilities of the involved countries".
|
|
