Martin Endjala
Nampower inaugurated its first fully owned and operated renewable energy Omburu 20 MW Power Plant at a cost of N$317 million, which is in line with the national plan linked to the HPP2 strategic pillar of energy supply.
Nampower managing director Kahenge Haulofu said that the plant is a demonstration of the unility’s unwavering commitment to becoming the leading electricity solutions provider of choice in SADC and a catalyst for economic growth in Namibia and the region.
The Omburu power station is expected to cater for about 16 000 to 18 000 households in the country. The power station is the first of its kind.
Haulofu said that the generation projects will reduce the overall Nampower tariff to the customer by introducing an affordable “new-build” renewable energy to the Namibian grid that will support Namibia’s Energy and Renewable Energy Policy targets for 70 percent of renewable energy generation by 2030. It will support the commitments made at COP26 to reduce Namibia’s green gas emissions by 91 percent within the next 5 years.
“NamPower continues to provide innovative electricity solutions, in an evolving market, which satisfy the needs of our customers, fulfil the aspirations of our staff; and, the expectations of our stakeholders in a competitive, sustainable and environmentally friendly manner, through both our own resources and strategic partnerships, resulting in reliable and affordable solutions to the benefit of our customers,” Haulofu stated.
Nampower’s mission over the next five years is “to provide innovative electricity solutions, in an evolving market, which satisfy the needs of its customers, fulfil the aspirations of its staff and the
expectations of its stakeholders in a competitive, sustainable and environmentally friendly manner.
The energy powerhouse, intends to do this through both its own resources and strategic partnerships, resulting in reliable and affordable solutions to the benefit of its customers.
The Deputy Minister of Mines and Energy Kornelia Shilunga affirmed that the government is committed in providing 70 percent of renewable energy to the country by 2030 as envisaged in its national renewable energy policy and independent power policy among others, which is aimed at inviting investors to invest in the country’s development of renewable energy.
Meanwhile, the Omaruru mayor Vincent Kahua concurred that they as the Omaruru municipality felt
compelled in providing the land as part of developing the town given the significant impact the
renewable power plant is going to have both on the municipality and the residents.
Given Namibia’s dependence on other countries in terms of energy supply, Kahua said that it was pivotal that Namibia capitalized on its renewable energy to cut the dependency and to cater for its people at affordable prices.
The entire workforce involved in this Project were Namibians, including the consultants in the
design, the sub-contractors, and the labourers. The semi-skilled and unskilled labourers were sourced locally from Omaruru local community.
Kahua added that to provide innovative electricity solutions, in an evolving market, the
Omburu Power Station is built to be ready for battery energy storage, while pointing out that last year, Namibia and the Federal Republic of Germany through the KfW Development Bank, provided funding of 20 million Euro grant towards the implementation of the first ever utility scale Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) in Namibia and the Southern African region at large.
The grant is said to go towards the construction of a 58 MW Battery Energy Storage System that will be situated at the Omburu Substation, which is situated right next to the just inaugurated power station.
Once commissioned, Nampower will be able to utilize a combination of various applications which
were identified for the Omburu Battery Energy Storage System, namely: peak shifting, energy
arbitrage, provision of emergency energy, ramp-rate control and reactive power control.
Haulofu concluded that Nampower is geared towards ensuring security of supply and a predictable tariff path that will support economic growth and maintain the company’s financial sustainability through the implementation of its planned generation projects.
NamPower has identified as a key strategic focus to ensure that it attains security of supply through ensuring a least cost electricity supply mix through diversifying the local energy mix and increasing local generation capacity via the implementation of strategic generation projects.
