NamPower CEO urges govt to assist in funding new power station

Namibia has not built a new base-load power station since commissioning the coal-fired Van Eck Power Station in 1972 and the Ruacana Hydroelectric Power Station in 1978—a gap that has not supported the country’s growing energy needs.NamPower CEO Kahenge Haulofu says this historic shortfall underscores why the national utility should now invest in its own base-load power station to ensure consistent and affordable electricity generation.Warning on importsSpeaking during a consultative meeting with the parliamentary standing committee on economy and industry, public administration and planning, alongside the Productivity Task Force on Energy (PTFE), Haulofu described base-load capacity as essential for Namibia’s economic stability.Base load refers to the minimum, constant level of electricity demand on the grid over 24 hours, supplying steady, round-the-clock energy for critical services like homes, hospitals, and industries that cannot afford interruptions.“If such things have not been developed by Namibia, definitely you will have to depend on others,” he warned, stressing the country’s vulnerability to imports. He said the government must commit funding for such a project rather than expecting NamPower to secure all financing alone.Planning candidate projectsHaulofu told lawmakers that NamPower has already identified several candidate projects that could help fill this critical gap, but that long-term planning and national commitment are required.“The nation has to start thinking deeply to make sure that they plan, and they will have candidate projects that could be done. We continue to spend a considerable amount of money on transmission and renewable energy,” he said.He argued that while renewables have an important role, they cannot deliver the reliable base-load power that Namibia needs without complementary investment.Government commitment needed“If Namibia does not come up with a plan and tighten belts and put money into a national power plant, then waiting and waiting for a utility to come up with full-scale loans and things like that, it will not happen, because the money we get, we buy electricity,” he said.Haulofu also addressed the technical challenges of integrating large-scale solar generation into Namibia’s relatively small grid.“We are engineers. Solar has got serious challenges to our grid, and those challenges, even if we explain it a hundred times, people do not understand what we are talking about,” he said. “We have a limit on how much solar to put on a small grid such as the Namibian grid.”Haulofu’s remarks come as Namibia faces growing demand for secure, affordable electricity to support industry and development, while also working to reduce its dependence on power imports from neighbouring countries.

NamPower CEO urges govt to assist in funding new power station

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Namibian Sun 2025-10-14

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NamPower CEO urges govt to assist in funding new power station

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Namibian Sun 2025-10-14

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