Namibia Implements Electricity Rationing Amid Shortage

Namibia’s power utility, NamPower, has started implementing electricity rationing to ease power supply crunch in the wake of South Africa’s failure to export electricity to its regional neighbors. Eskom of South Africa, which supplies 80 percent of regional electricity, has reduced power exports to its regional neighbors due to growing demand for electricity at home.

As power failures worsen in South Africa, the country’s neighbors - Namibia, Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe - have been forced to implement emergency programs to cover any shortfalls.

Most regional countries are net or partial importers of electricity and South Africa has long been one of their key sources of secure power.

NamPower Managing Director Paulinus Shilamba said on Tuesday that the region has entered into “an abnormal supply scenario,” adding that the utility would introduce voluntary as well as forced load shedding.

Shilamba said that consumers should cut power consumption by 20 percent, and that NamPower is urging mining firms to consider running their plants off peak hours like during the night.

Namibia generates slightly above 400 MW but has a daily maximum requirement of 450 MW off peak hours.

NamPower is engaging major industrial bodies such as Chamber of Mines to come up with a way of managing load shedding.

Demand can soar to 550 MW during peak periods, NamPower said.

“The situation is already critical and Namibia is definitely impacted and we must be prepared, we must manage this problem together,” Shilamba added.

Power outages are likely to hit mining operators hard as they are the major consumers of electricity.

Source African Press Agency

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