Government to decide on Kunene hydropower plan

GOVERNMENT has yet to decide whether Namibia should pursue new studies into a hydropower project on the lower Kunene River.

Studies at two sites – Epupa and Baynes – caused considerable controversy in the late 1990s, particularly because of the environmental and social impact of building a dam. At a Namibia-Angola Permanent Joint Technical Commission (PJTC) meeting in Windhoek two weeks ago, the Angolan government indicated that it was ready to investigate a power station at Baynes.NamPower MD Leake Hangala said in an interview with The Namibian last week that he hoped Namibia could convey their standpoint when the PJTC next meets in December.It will be up to Cabinet to decide whether it is worth reconsidering the controversial Epupa site or to agree to launch fresh studies into Angola’s preferred option from the outset, Baynes.”I believe whatever we [Namibia] decide, the countries will do it jointly and that it will be a win-win situation.It won’t be that one country will benefit more.The development will happen on both sides,” said Hangala.The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Mines and Energy is out of office this week.As a result it could not be determined what stage the process had reached.An official in the Directorate of Energy told The Namibian that given the sensitivity of such a project, only the Permanent Secretary could say what action was being taken.Although Hangala played his cards close to his chest as to what NamPower’s preferred option would be, it appears that the power utility believes that the Baynes option is worth further consideration.Project documents for the new studies have already been posted on the NamPower website.According to the papers, it was hoped to start the studies before the end of the year.Hangala said NamPower was very mindful of the environmental concerns that sparked an outcry beyond Namibian borders over investigations into the Epupa site.”Whatever we do, we do it with due love and regard for the environment.But it doesn’t mean we can’t have development.The reality of the scarcity of energy around the world is dawning on us all,” said Hangala.Without developing new energy sources, the country’s economic development would be stunted, he added.Hangala told The Namibian that the re-investigation of power options on the Kunene River had to be considered in a different light than when the studies were carried out eight years ago, as Namibia’s power situation had changed since then.”The broad aspects will stay the same.We don’t expect the technical, environmental and social results to be different.The financial aspect will be different,” he said of the new studies.With the Kudu Gas Project now being earmarked as Namibia’s main option to obtain energy self-sufficiency in the near future, an envisaged power station on the Kunene River would serve to complement other sources rather than being the main energy source.New studies would focus on a mid-merit (peaking) power station (to be used during times of greater demand) rather than a base-load station (a continuous, constant power source).Namibia and Angola jointly completed a study for the development of a 360-megawatt base load station at Baynes in 1997, some 40 kilometres downstream of Epupa Falls.Studies into the development at Epupa in particular sparked widespread consternation.A dam at the Epupa site would eliminate the Epupa Falls and inundate an area ranging from 380 square kilometres when the reservoir is full to 161 square kilometres at low-water level.A total of 380 square kilometres of grazing land would be lost, 1 000 local inhabitants would be displaced, and 60 Himba graves and 95 cultural sites would be flooded.On the other hand, the earlier studies found that the Baynes site would have less environmental impact than Epupa because it is situated in a narrow gorge, which would cause it to have a much smaller inundation area and consequently less evaporation.From the outset, Angola has favoured the Baynes site, despite Namibia saying that it was too small a project to be financially viable.Should the new studies go ahead, they would cost in the region of US$3,5 million.The capital costs of the project itself have not yet been determined.At a Namibia-Angola Permanent Joint Technical Commission (PJTC) meeting in Windhoek two weeks ago, the Angolan government indicated that it was ready to investigate a power station at Baynes.NamPower MD Leake Hangala said in an interview with The Namibian last week that he hoped Namibia could convey their standpoint when the PJTC next meets in December.It will be up to Cabinet to decide whether it is worth reconsidering the controversial Epupa site or to agree to launch fresh studies into Angola’s preferred option from the outset, Baynes.”I believe whatever we [Namibia] decide, the countries will do it jointly and that it will be a win-win situation.It won’t be that one country will benefit more.The development will happen on both sides,” said Hangala.The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Mines and Energy is out of office this week.As a result it could not be determined what stage the process had reached.An official in the Directorate of Energy told The Namibian that given the sensitivity of such a project, only the Permanent Secretary could say what action was being taken.Although Hangala played his cards close to his chest as to what NamPower’s preferred option would be, it appears that the power utility believes that the Baynes option is worth further consideration.Project documents for the new studies have already been posted on the NamPower website.According to the papers, it was hoped to start the studies before the end of the year.Hangala said NamPower was very mindful of the environmental concerns that sparked an outcry beyond Namibian borders over investigations into the Epupa site.”Whatever we do, we do it with due love and regard for the environment.But it doesn’t mean we can’t have development.The reality of the scarcity of energy around the world is dawning on us all,” said Hangala.Without developing new energy sources, the country’s economic development would be stunted, he added.Hangala told The Namibian that the re-investigation of power options on the Kunene River had to be considered in a different light than when the studies were carried out eight years ago, as Namibia’s power situation had changed since then.”The broad aspects will stay the same.We don’t expect the technical, environmental and social results to be different.The financial aspect will be different,” he said of the new studies.With the Kudu Gas Project now being earmarked as Namibia’s main option to obtain energy self-sufficiency in the near future, an envisaged power station on the Kunene River would serve to complement other sources rather than being the main energy source.New studies would focus on a mid-merit (peaking) power station (to be used during times of greater demand) rather than a base-load station (a continuous, constant power source).Namibia and Angola jointly completed a study for the development of a 360-megawatt base load station at Baynes in 1997, some 40 kilometres downstream of Epupa Falls.Studies into the development at Epupa in particular sparked widespread consternation.A dam at the Epupa site would eliminate the Epupa Falls and inundate an area ranging from 380 square kilometres when the reservoir is full to 161 square kilometres at low-water level.A total of 380 square kilometres of grazing land would be lost, 1 000 local inhabitants would be displaced, and 60 Himba graves and 95 cultural sites would be flooded.On the other hand, the earlier studies found that the Baynes site would have less environmental impact than Epupa because it is situated in a narrow gorge, which would cause it to have a much smaller inundation area and consequently less evaporation.From the outset, Angola has favoured the Baynes site, despite Namibia saying that it was too small a project to be financially viable.Should the new studies go ahead, they would cost in the region of US$3,5 million.The capital costs of the project itself have not yet been determined.