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Africa Utility Week Focuses on Power Deficiencies

   Nadia Samie | Cape Town  March 18, 2011
   Traffic  lights  were  not  working in Cape Town as a result, of power
   cuts,  or "load shedding", as it is called, by the national electicity
   supplier, (File)

Photo: AFP

   Traffic  lights  were  not  working in Cape Town as a result, of power
   cuts,  or "load shedding", as it is called, by the national electicity
   supplier, (File)

   Industry  experts  and  executives  are meeting to discuss how to make
   large  scale  energy  projects work in sub-Saharan Africa. This year's
   African  Utility  Week  is  focusing  on  the  need  to  work  towards
   establishing inter-connectivity between the continentâs power-grids.

   In the opening address, Emmanuel Nzabanita, of the African Development
   Bank,  said  part of the challenge is that most African countries want
   to work independently of their neighbors.

   âIf  the  African Development Bank can encourage the African countries
   to co-operate in the development of their energy resources, this would
   be a great thing. If we could have all Africans, all African countries
   inter-connected,  then  we could be able to exploit the vast resources
   that are available, that cannot be done by one individual country,â he
   said.

   Nzabanita   noted   that  different  African  regions  have  different
   resources  that  could  benefit greater areas of the continent if used
   cooperatively.  âWe  have  in the north hydro carbons, gas; we have in
   the  central  and  west, where there is a lot of hydro; we have in the
   south,  where there is a lot of coal. But all these are scattered,â he
   states.  âIn  order  to  harness  them,  we  need to put our resources
   together.â

   Alain  Rosier,  a  project  manager at an American power utility, told
   delegates  the  gap in power infrastructure financing on the continent
   is  so  extensive,  Africa must attract private investment if it is to
   boost its deficient power sector.

   âThere  is  a big gap in the order of $30 billion, in the financing of
   the  electricity  infrastructure  in sub-Saharan Africa that has to be
   prodded  into  by the private sector. Contrary to what many think, the
   lack  of  funding  is often not a barrier, because there is money, and
   even  during the crisis there was money available for good (viable and
   sustainable) projects,â Rosier explains.

   Experts  at  the  conference  said the positive spin off for countries
   inter-connecting  around  power  initiatives  is  that  it  widens the
   market.

   The  African  Development  Bankâs Nzabanita said inter-connected power
   conversation  between  countries  has now begun. âIt was maybe lack of
   knowledge  of  each  otherâs  capability,  or each otherâs potential,â
   Nzabanita  said.  âBut  now, every country knows, through our regional
   co-operation  meetings,  that  there  are  advantages of pooling their
   resources together.â

   A  two-day  high-level  so-called Power Indaba Summit runs parallel to
   African  Utility  week.  This  conference  is  focusing  on investment
   potential in Africaâs power resources. Sustainable power for Africa is
   expected to top the agenda.

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