46
M. Irowarisima
2.2.3 The Character of Energy Portfolio Specific
to Southern Africa (SADC)
Although the energy resource base for the SADC region appears divers,
its electricity security looks generally bleak. The region is still undergoing electricity shortages, with significant implications for economic
growth and social development. In the recent past, countries like South
Africa, Namibia, Tanzania, Zambia, Botswana and Zimbabwe have had
to do some load shedding as a stop-gap measure to conserve energy.
32
Also, problems of access to modern energy service still exist in the region
and are being acutely experienced by people living there.
33 Traditional
biomass continues to be used largely in the region in both urban and
rural areas, thereby further compounding the existing security of supply
challenge.
While the region enjoys an operating surplus of 1507 MW, and there
is still a supply deficit based on the SADC data.
34 By contrast, at the
country level, there is favourable net generation capacity significantly
above demand and reserve requirements being hit by only Angola and
Mozambique. Other Member States are either in a difficult situation like
the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Malawi, Tanzania and South
Africa or are with significant supply shortfalls like Botswana, Lesotho,
Namibia, Swaziland and Zimbabwe. Nevertheless, these situations have
greatly improved quite recently.
Ironically, Mozambique was one of the poorest countries in the world.
Now Mozambique has thrived on overcoming the legacies of 15 years of
civil war (1997–1992) and has directly placed itself as a primary energy
producer in SADC. Mozambique is now an electricity export due to
the rapid expansion of the hydropower sector and the vast discoveries of
natural gas and coal in its territory. Mozambique’s Cahora Bassa dam is
one of the largest hydroelectric power schemes on the continent of Africa
32 SADC, ‘Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan 2015–2020’, Southern African Development Community Report (Gaborone, 2015), https://www.sadc.int/about-sadc/overview/strate
gic-pl/regional-indicative-strategic-development-plan/, accessed February 15, 2020.
33 Ibid.
34 Tanzanian Investment Centre, n.d. [WWW Document], http://www.tic.co.tz/procedure/275/
181?l=en, accessed February 19, 2020.
M. Irowarisima
2.2.3 The Character of Energy Portfolio Specific
to Southern Africa (SADC)
Although the energy resource base for the SADC region appears divers,
its electricity security looks generally bleak. The region is still undergoing electricity shortages, with significant implications for economic
growth and social development. In the recent past, countries like South
Africa, Namibia, Tanzania, Zambia, Botswana and Zimbabwe have had
to do some load shedding as a stop-gap measure to conserve energy.
32
Also, problems of access to modern energy service still exist in the region
and are being acutely experienced by people living there.
33 Traditional
biomass continues to be used largely in the region in both urban and
rural areas, thereby further compounding the existing security of supply
challenge.
While the region enjoys an operating surplus of 1507 MW, and there
is still a supply deficit based on the SADC data.
34 By contrast, at the
country level, there is favourable net generation capacity significantly
above demand and reserve requirements being hit by only Angola and
Mozambique. Other Member States are either in a difficult situation like
the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Malawi, Tanzania and South
Africa or are with significant supply shortfalls like Botswana, Lesotho,
Namibia, Swaziland and Zimbabwe. Nevertheless, these situations have
greatly improved quite recently.
Ironically, Mozambique was one of the poorest countries in the world.
Now Mozambique has thrived on overcoming the legacies of 15 years of
civil war (1997–1992) and has directly placed itself as a primary energy
producer in SADC. Mozambique is now an electricity export due to
the rapid expansion of the hydropower sector and the vast discoveries of
natural gas and coal in its territory. Mozambique’s Cahora Bassa dam is
one of the largest hydroelectric power schemes on the continent of Africa
32 SADC, ‘Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan 2015–2020’, Southern African Development Community Report (Gaborone, 2015), https://www.sadc.int/about-sadc/overview/strate
gic-pl/regional-indicative-strategic-development-plan/, accessed February 15, 2020.
33 Ibid.
34 Tanzanian Investment Centre, n.d. [WWW Document], http://www.tic.co.tz/procedure/275/
181?l=en, accessed February 19, 2020.