Namibia unaffected by Eskom blackouts
Bulk electricity supplier NamPower says Namibia will not be affected by widespread blackouts planned by Eskom.
The South African energy company announced recently that it needed to implement power cuts on the back of a salary dispute with workers.
NamPower had been asked how it intended to mitigate the risk of electricity supply from its biggest primary power purchase agent, Eskom.
The electricity supplier had listed its dependence on Eskom as an operational risk in its 2021 annual report. NamPower currently imports 100 megawatts from Eskom through the Southern Africa Power Pool (SAPP) market through a bilateral agreement signed in 2017, which is due to expire this year.
NamPower said developments in South Africa would not likely affect supply of electricity in Namibia.
Offset shortages
“Please take note that during load shedding in South Africa, Namibia/NamPower is curtailed as any other Eskom customer depending on the stage level. When Namibia/NamPower is affected by load shedding, the required shortfall is supplied through increasing supply from existing local dispatchable plants and sourcing supply from the SAPP market,” it said.
The company said it would be able to offset any supply shortages from Eskom within the SAPP market where required.
“The SAPP market allows members to trade in short-term markets/agreements that are a month, week or day long. These trading arrangements gives NamPower and all other members an option in meeting their energy requirements,” it said.
The South African energy company announced recently that it needed to implement power cuts on the back of a salary dispute with workers.
NamPower had been asked how it intended to mitigate the risk of electricity supply from its biggest primary power purchase agent, Eskom.
The electricity supplier had listed its dependence on Eskom as an operational risk in its 2021 annual report. NamPower currently imports 100 megawatts from Eskom through the Southern Africa Power Pool (SAPP) market through a bilateral agreement signed in 2017, which is due to expire this year.
NamPower said developments in South Africa would not likely affect supply of electricity in Namibia.
Offset shortages
“Please take note that during load shedding in South Africa, Namibia/NamPower is curtailed as any other Eskom customer depending on the stage level. When Namibia/NamPower is affected by load shedding, the required shortfall is supplied through increasing supply from existing local dispatchable plants and sourcing supply from the SAPP market,” it said.
The company said it would be able to offset any supply shortages from Eskom within the SAPP market where required.
“The SAPP market allows members to trade in short-term markets/agreements that are a month, week or day long. These trading arrangements gives NamPower and all other members an option in meeting their energy requirements,” it said.
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