US gives N$3 million to ECB

THE Electricity Control Board (ECB) this week received its second tranche of a grant from the United States Trade & Development Agency (USTDA) to compile a policy framework and guidelines for independent power producers (IPPs).

Siseho Simasiku, the Chief Executive of the ECB, signed a technical assistance grant agreement of N$3 million (US$423 800) with the US Embassy on Tuesday to draw up an IPP investment market framework. The total grant sum is US$700 000, approximately N$5 million.”The IPP framework and the investment market guidelines were completed in December 2006 and approved by the Ministry of Mines and Energy,” Siseho said.Another step was to develop standard power purchase agreements for electricity produced by the IPPs.A lack of funds hampered this and the USTDA agreed on further funding.This second phase will include capacity building and the development of guidelines for environmental analysis of such projects.Namibia’s electricity sector reform entails establishing private power stations to generate electricity with either conventional fuels like water or coal, or renewables like solar and wind power.The power produced in this way is to be sold to NamPower and fed into the national grid.Up until now, only NamPower has supplied electricity and complemented this with imports from South Africa via a transmission line.”We commend the Namibian Government and the ECB for the steps taken to address the need for a secure and sufficient supply of electricity to fuel its economic development,” said Eric Benjaminson, head of mission a the US Embassy in Windhoek.The total grant sum is US$700 000, approximately N$5 million.”The IPP framework and the investment market guidelines were completed in December 2006 and approved by the Ministry of Mines and Energy,” Siseho said.Another step was to develop standard power purchase agreements for electricity produced by the IPPs.A lack of funds hampered this and the USTDA agreed on further funding.This second phase will include capacity building and the development of guidelines for environmental analysis of such projects.Namibia’s electricity sector reform entails establishing private power stations to generate electricity with either conventional fuels like water or coal, or renewables like solar and wind power.The power produced in this way is to be sold to NamPower and fed into the national grid.Up until now, only NamPower has supplied electricity and complemented this with imports from South Africa via a transmission line.”We commend the Namibian Government and the ECB for the steps taken to address the need for a secure and sufficient supply of electricity to fuel its economic development,” said Eric Benjaminson, head of mission a the US Embassy in Windhoek.