NamPower to hand out free light bulbs

NAMIBIANS will soon receive free light bulbs – to be distributed to urban households at the end of this month – in a nationwide campaign to save electricity.

The campaign will kick off on August 29, NamPower Marketing Manager John Kaimu told reporters on the sidelines of a book launch at NamPower on Wednesday. Originally the 900 000 energy-efficient bulbs worth N$14,2 million were supposed to be distributed before winter kicked in, but NamPower couldn’t get hold of enough stock.”We thought they were readily available, only to find out the demand was so high,” said Kaimu.”We had to queue in order to shop for them.”The planning process also took a while, he added.The lucrative multi-million-dollar tender to supply the Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs) was won by a Windhoek company, DB Electrical Distributors.”Each household will receive five CFLs in exchange for bringing five conventional bulbs,” Kaimu said.”Distribution points will be mainly municipal offices but details will be made public when we start the public information campaign from August 13.”Residents will have to identify themselves with ID cards and erf numbers.The bulb project has been undertaken by NamPower, the Electricity Control Board and the Ministry of Mines and Energy.South Africa distributed five million CFLs in a similar exercise.NamPower hopes that some 20 megawatt (MW) can be saved though this campaign in the face of a looming power-supply shortage in South Africa, from where Namibia imports about 45 per cent of its electricity.Demand for power is increasing each year.Namibia has about 483 MW of installed power capacity, with 240 MW at Ruacana at the Kunene River, but rainfall fluctuations hamper a steady and reliable power supply from there.Peak power demands in the mornings and evenings often pass the 500 MW mark.A few weeks ago, Government quietly bought N$750 million worth of shares in NamPower.Originally the 900 000 energy-efficient bulbs worth N$14,2 million were supposed to be distributed before winter kicked in, but NamPower couldn’t get hold of enough stock.”We thought they were readily available, only to find out the demand was so high,” said Kaimu.”We had to queue in order to shop for them.”The planning process also took a while, he added.The lucrative multi-million-dollar tender to supply the Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs) was won by a Windhoek company, DB Electrical Distributors.”Each household will receive five CFLs in exchange for bringing five conventional bulbs,” Kaimu said.”Distribution points will be mainly municipal offices but details will be made public when we start the public information campaign from August 13.”Residents will have to identify themselves with ID cards and erf numbers.The bulb project has been undertaken by NamPower, the Electricity Control Board and the Ministry of Mines and Energy.South Africa distributed five million CFLs in a similar exercise.NamPower hopes that some 20 megawatt (MW) can be saved though this campaign in the face of a looming power-supply shortage in South Africa, from where Namibia imports about 45 per cent of its electricity.Demand for power is increasing each year.Namibia has about 483 MW of installed power capacity, with 240 MW at Ruacana at the Kunene River, but rainfall fluctuations hamper a steady and reliable power supply from there.Peak power demands in the mornings and evenings often pass the 500 MW mark.A few weeks ago, Government quietly bought N$750 million worth of shares in NamPower.