Africa needs self-sufficient power sector for sustainable development

M Aboubakari Baba Moussa, Director Infrastructure and Energy, African Union, Edward Njoroge, UPDEA President and General Assembly Chairman, Alemayu Tagenu, Minister, Ehtiopia Energy and Minerals, Abel Dadier Edmé Tella, Secretary General, UPDEA, Mihret Debebe, Chief Executive Officer of EEPCo (Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation), presided over the 42nd General Assembly of UPDEA

At the opening ceremony of the 42nd General Assembly of UPDEA, the Union of Producers, Transporters and Distributors of Electric Power in Africa, Ethiopian Mines and Energy Minister Alemayehu Teguenu said Africans should launch concerted efforts towards the development of the power sector.

Speaking of progress in Ethiopia, he stated that about 10 projects aiming at increasing Ethiopia's power generation capacity to more than 15 000 MW (megawatts) would be implemented within 10 years.

The assembly was held on 17-19 November 2009 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Mihret Debebe, Chief Executive Officer of EEPCo (Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation), said that, thanks to Ethiopia's 10-year programme, the power generation capacity from renewable sources should rise to more than 15 000 MW. The Ethiopian government and EEPCo believe that self-sufficiency in all aspects of power sector development is the basic issue for sustainable development.

UPDEA President and General Assembly Chairman Edward Njoroge said that as electric power plays a pivotal role for the economic development of a nation, policymakers should attach special attention to the distribution of power to all. Investment in the sector should continue to be strengthened until Africa secures a sustainable and modern power supply.

The UPDEA event was an opportunity for Evah Oduor, IEC Affiliate Coordinator for Africa, to meet face-to-face with representatives of African countries and explain the IEC Affiliate Country Programme and how it helps them to participate effectively in the work of the IEC.

Paul Johnson, AFSEC Executive Secretary
(left),and Evah Oduor, IEC Affiliate
Coordinator for Africa, told attendees of the
close cooperation between AFSEC and the
IEC

Paul Johnson, Executive Secretary of AFSEC (African Electrotechnical Standardization Commission), spoke of his organization’s close relationship with the IEC, including the cooperation agreement that the two recently signed.

Oduor said later, "This was an excellent occasion to present the work of IEC to the power utility stakeholders, and I believe it was quite useful.”

About UPDEA

UPDEA is a not-for-profit organization that groups power generation, transmission and distribution utilities in Africa as well as overseas organizations involved in development of the African power sector. It is headquartered in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.

UPDEA was created in 1970 with the aim of promoting development and integration of African power systems through the interconnection of networks, exchange of experience and know-how and pooling of energy resources in a win-win approach for all members.

Since 2002, UPDEA has set itself the goal of being the main catalyst for making electricity accessible to all parts of Africa. Since then, it has become more development-oriented, working in close collaboration with NEPAD (New Partnership For Africa's Development) and the African Union.

Emmanuel Nzabanita, Principal Power
Engineer, African Development Bank,
(left) and Evah Oduor, IEC Affiliate
Coordinator for Africa

Given that energy resources are not equally spread throughout the continent, UPDEA has committed itself to promote or initiate subregional power pools where necessary, in close relationship with African RECs (Regional Economic Communities).

Now that each African subregion has its power pool, UPDEA is currently involved in harmonizing their master plans and exchanging data and experience. The final objective is to achieve in due course an African interconnected power system to allow distribution and transmission across the whole of the African continent.

All UPDEA members, with the exception of Liberia, Morocco and Djibouti, are either Members of the IEC or Affiliate Country Programme participants.

African Power Pools

On 17 November 2009, while in Addis Ababa, Oduor attended a meeting of the African Power Pools. She spoke about the work of the IEC and the importance of electrotechnical standards in the work of the Power Pools.

Most of the African RECs are considering the establishment of subregional power pools and the interconnection of national electricity grids to promote cross-border electricity trade and foster regional economic integration.

The Power Pools are:

• CAPP (Central African Power Pool)

The Central African region benefits from huge hydroelectric potential in nations such as Angola, Cameroon, Congo, and DRC (Democratic Republic of the Congo). These countries have immense opportunities to export electricity inside and outside the region.

• EAPP (East African Power Pool)

EAPP-member countries began an East African master plant with support from the World Bank, and plans exist to connect the Kenyan and Tanzanian grids to the SAPP.

• SAPP (Southern African Power Pool)

SAPP aims to link SADC (South African Development Community) member-countries into a single electricity grid. The arrangement could serve as a model for establishing free-trade zones for energy in other parts of Africa.

• WAPP (West African Power Pool)

The interconnection between Benin and Nigeria and the strengthened connections among Benin, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana and Togo are the most important links of the WAPP.

• COMELEC, Magrebian Electricity Committee (North African Power Pool)

In North Africa, COMELEC exists among the member-states of the REC and the UMA, the Arab Maghreb Union. The electricity networks are integrated, except for Mauritania.