Power usage increasing 1.5% annually – NamPower
National public utility company NamPower says it anticipates annual energy consumption to increase due to increased demand.“NamPower has adopted a conservative approach and forecasts an annual energy consumption of approximately 4 000 gigawatt hours (GHw), which is expected to increase by 1.5% annually. NamPower updates its energy forecasts yearly and keeps a close watch on various growth drivers such as favourable commodity prices and policies designed to attract investment and spur economic growth beyond natural levels, including new mining operations or processing facilities,” CEO Kahenge Haulofu told Market Watch.
To meet anticipated demand, NamPower has five power stations in the pipeline in the meantime, comprising solar photovoltaic (PV), wind and heavy fuel oil (HFO) projects.
“As part of our long-term strategic planning, NamPower continues to implement several generation projects to achieve its goal of adequate local generation. The projects - with a total capacity of 264 megawatts (MW) - that are in the pipeline to enhance the local supply as per the ministerial determination are NamPower’s 20 MW Khan PV plant, Diaz’s 44MW wind plant, NamPower’s 100MW Rosh Pinah PV plant and NamPower’s 54MW HFO plant,” he said.
According to Haulofu, these generation projects will greatly enhance our local capacity and mitigate the magnitude and effects of supply uncertainty. “We will continue to implement additional generation projects to achieve our goals.
“Furthermore, the Anixas II power station (54MW), which is close to completion and is expected to be commissioned in June or July, can be called upon once commissioned. The station will ensure that dispatchable power is available to complement the intermittent renewable energy sources and for emergency power to the Namibian grid during times of deficit within the South African Power Pool."