Eskom signed a five year firm electricity sales agreement with Namibia’s national electricity utility Nam Power.
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The deal was signed at the 42nd Southern African Power Pool (SAPP) executive committee meeting in Maseru, Lesotho.
This contract confirms Eskom’s dedication to powering the SADC region and is testimony to the long noble history of power trading between the sister utilities.
Eskom interim chief executive Matshela Koko said: “Eskom has turned around and we are now open for business with extra capacity available to empower economic growth. This contract offers energy security to Namibia and allows for economic development and growth in the nation without electricity accessibility concerns.”
NamPower and Eskom have enjoyed a strong, amiable, trade relationship through their bilateral accord over the years, the parastatal highlighted in a statement.
The power supply position in the region is presently under control and NamPower will continue to utilize all possible means, including demand side management measures, to guarantee that the delivery of electricity supply services to the national economy is carried out in a sustainable manner.
NamPower general manager energy trading, BJ Mbuere ua Mbuere, said: “To complement its generation capacity, advance its import portfolio and have spread energy imports, NamPower has gone into into a number of power purchase agreements (PPAs), of which the largest import portfolio is with Eskom through this new bilateral contract.
“Presently, NamPower has completed a number of projects to set up renewable energy projects in Namibia and to boost its local production.”
According to Koko: “It is awful that our region still struggle to offer access to electricity for all its people and to power their industries and mines, inhibiting economic growth and failing to offer employment for all of our citizens.
“Eskom deems that the challenge now is to center on strengthening the transmission interconnection between the different nations to allow the sharing of the available power.”
He added: “Eskom stands prepared to supply electricity to the region, allowing the development of our economies, generating an increased demand for electricity, which in turn will rouse the regional power generation sector.”
The SADC region’s future has on no account looked brighter as all the regional electricity utilities work together through their SAPP membership and substantiate their devotion to each other and to empowering economic development for all.
Eskom plans to close agreements with other SAPP members before the end of the month
