22 Jun 2014

The world heritage committee meeting has been told that the Namibian Popa Falls hydro power project on the Okavango River has been deferred eleven years ago after a feasibility study on the project.

This was said after the issue emerged at the meeting held in Doha, Qatar. Some reports had indicated that the Popa Falls project might affect Okavango Delta’s chances of being listed as a heritage site after allegations that Namibia was going ahead with the project despite the outcome of the feasibility study.

Chief water engineer in the Department of Water Affairs, Dr Chandrasekara Kurugundla explained in an interview that a feasibility study on the proposed project was carried out in 2003 by Peter Ashton. “The study revealed that the project was not feasible and it has since been abandoned,” he said.

He added that if Namibia wished to revisit it, they would have to start afresh and consult all the countries affected as well as undertake another feasibility study. 

Okavango River Basin Water Commission (OKACOM) has also confirmed that the matter was deferred eleven years ago according to Director of Botswana National Museum, Gaogakwe Phorano. He indicated that they briefed the meeting that if Namibia wanted to resurrect the matter, it has to go through the notification process, which has so far not begun. The OKACOM represents Angola, Botswana and Namibia.

Namibia’s power company, NamPower is also quoted in some reports to have said that the project was shelved back in 2004 and has not been revisited since.  The world heritage committee meeting ends on Wednesday and Botswana is still hopeful of listing the Okavango delta as a world heritage site. ENDS