Local authorities struggle to maintain power networks

The Electricity Control Board (ECB) says some local and regional authorities lack the technical and financial capacity to properly maintain electricity infrastructure.

The ECB said most of the distribution networks it audited during the 2024/25 financial year were classified as being in poor condition.

The regulator's technical compliance audit found that weaknesses in the affected distribution networks largely stemmed from inadequate implementation of operating procedures and substandard maintenance practices.

The findings highlight a sharp difference between areas where regional electricity distributors (REDs) manage electricity distribution and those where municipalities, village councils and regional councils remain responsible for their own networks.

According to the ECB, regions served by REDs generally performed better and carried a relatively low risk of continued non-compliance, while networks operated by municipalities, village councils and regional councils performed poorly and faced a higher risk of continuing problems.

Of the 12 regions covered by the assessment, only Khomas and Otjozondjupa received satisfactory infrastructure ratings. //Kharas, Hardap and Omaheke were classified as both poor and at high risk of continued non-compliance, while Kavango East, Kavango West, Kunene, Ohangwena, Omusati, Oshana and Oshikoto were rated poor but carried a lower risk of sustained non-compliance.

Khomas and Otjozondjupa were exceptions because the City of Windhoek and Cenored manage their networks, respectively.

“//Kharas was the worst performer with the highest risk of continued non-compliance, followed by Hardap and Omaheke,” the ECB said.

The regulator warned that infrastructure problems can lead to unreliable electricity supply, increased network losses, equipment failures, and serious safety risks.

Overloaded infrastructure

Among the high-risk problems the ECB checks during its audits are the absence of qualified electricians or authorised personnel, failure to implement maintenance plans, oil leakages from equipment, continuously overloaded infrastructure and illegal electricity connections.

The ECB said continuously overloaded infrastructure can shorten equipment lifespans, leave networks unable to accommodate growing demand, and contribute to frequent outages and poor reliability, while inadequate maintenance can affect safety, network losses, and quality of supply.

The problems were even more pronounced among farmer electricity schemes, where more than 60% of the networks inspected were classified as poor.

The ECB audited 13 farmer schemes during the financial year and found many medium- and high-risk non-compliance issues, with a high risk that the problems would persist.

The regulator attributed the situation to capacity, operational, ownership and governance problems, noting that electricity distribution is generally not the core function of the farmers who operate the schemes.

The country's national transmission infrastructure presented a substantially different picture.

NamPower's transmission network in Ohangwena, Omusati, Oshana and Oshikoto was rated satisfactory and at low risk of continued non-compliance. The ECB attributed the performance to NamPower's capacity and maintenance practices and the fact that a single entity manages transmission.

The audit also covered seven mines, most of which complied with network and operational standards.

Namdeb was the exception, accounting for more than 55% of all mining-sector non-compliances identified during the audit because of ageing infrastructure and insufficient maintenance.

Despite the weaknesses identified at distribution level, the ECB classified Namibia's electricity infrastructure overall as satisfactory, largely because of the condition and management of the national transmission network.

The regulator is recommending stronger intervention where distribution problems persist, including the possibility of revoking electricity licences and appointing other licensees with the technical and financial capacity to operate affected networks.

It also wants efforts to accelerate the establishment of the Southern RED and Central RED, while calling on the urban and rural development ministry to provide funding for maintenance and qualified electricians in under-capacitated local and regional authorities.

The ECB further recommended that the Ministry of Industries, Mines and Energy make funding available through the National Energy Fund to help local and regional authorities maintain their electricity infrastructure.