Story by Tafadzwa Chigwedere
THE Southern Africa Power Pool (SAPP) is targeting to double regional power generation by 2040 to solve the energy crisis currently facing the regional bloc.
With most regional countries facing energy deficits, the SAPP is on an ambitious drive to increase power generation by adding 75 GigaWatts which will require an investment of at least US$120 billion.
Speaking in an interview with the ZBC News after addressing students at the National Defence University this Wednesday, Engineer Stephen Dihwa spoke on the plans to create inter-state connections for countries to benefit from each other’s power generation capacities.
Dihwa noted, ‘‘We need to develop an additional 75GW by 2040 and that will require at least US$120 billion. SAPP provides a platform where members trade electricity, it’s important that our transmission interconnections are strengthened.’’
With most traditional sources of electricity such as hydro under threat from climate change, Engineer Dihwa also spoke on what the regional body is doing to harness renewable energy.
Dihwa added, ‘‘SADC has a target of 39 percent contribution of renewable energy by 2030, SAPP has decided to allow independent power producers to be members so that they sell on a wider market.’’
Most SADC members are working on individual projects to end the electricity crisis that is currently affecting the region, with Zimbabwe under the second republic, working on several power projects including Hwange units 7 and 8 that are expected to be commissioned soon.
