Addressing the Keetmanshoop Town Council yesterday, an advisor to Australian renewable energy company Oceanlinx, Dr Peter Kalish, said his preliminary findings following a visit this week to the southern coast were favourable.

"During our visit to the southern coast we found the wave climate and location impressive," he said.

However, he said this would only be finally confirmed when a scientific survey is concluded.

Kalish was accompanied by Oceanlinx Commercial Director Mark Davidson, AGR Asia Pacific General Manager Robert Thornton, SELCo Managing Director Chris Bosch and SELCo Operations Manager Abraham Kukuri.

Oceanlinx recently signed a contract with GPP, part of the listed Southern African Electricity Company (SELCo).

The partners, if they pass the environmental and regulatory assessment, plan to set up a pilot 1,5 MW wave-power unit during the first quarter of 2009.

It is expected to be operational by the second quarter of next year.

On completion the plant will supply power to Keetmanshoop.

Once this unit reached its agreed output, it would be followed by a further 100 units, equivalent to 150 MW, Kalish said.

The estimated cost to set up a 1,5 MW unit is between N$5 and N$6 million.

Kalish said the floating units are also designed to desalinate seawater.

Also speaking at the briefing session, SELCo MD Chris Bosch said his company planned to apply for a licence to generate electricity using ocean waves off the southern coast at the end of June following the conclusion of all assessments.

He said the floating units would be owned and operated by SELCo.

An upbeat Mayor of Keetmanshoop, Finna Elago, welcomed the idea of a wave-power station in the South.

She said the Town Council was willing to strengthen its relationship with SELCo.

"Council looks forward to more fruitful discussions with the partners in regard with the anticipated wave-power station," she said.

The national grid currently consists of three power stations - the Ruacana hydropower station in the Kunene Region, the coal-fired Van Eck station in Windhoek and the diesel-fuelled Paratus in Walvis Bay.

Power is also being imported from Zimbabwe, Zambia, South Africa and Mozambique.

Fears of crippling power cuts in Namibia set in after South Africa's power utility Eskom announced on Sunday that it would halt its power exports to Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe because it cannot meet the growing demand in South Africa.

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