Power Exporters Will Serve Nam Market When Is Needed

By:Nghiinomenwa-vali Erastus

The growing electricity deficit in the SADC region has piqued the interest of more investors in harnessing Namibia’s abundant renewable energy resources for export, in the midst of a domestic deficit.
This surge in interest coincides with the recent licensing by the Electricity Control Board (ECB) of Independent Power Producers, allowing them to export approximately 1.3 GW of their energy.
Since January this year, Namibia imported between 147,000 MW and 250,000 MW of power per month.
This begs the question why IPPs will be allowed to export power while there is generation gap locally.
To address this concern, the ECB says it plans to insert a crucial clause into the licences of energy exporters, which will mandate them to prioritise local sales when domestic demand arises.
ECB’s Chief Executive Officer, Robert Kahimise, told The Villager that exporters will allocate a portion of their capacity to meet local demands.